Westra pleads guilty, second sex abuse case
CHLOE COCHRAN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 months, 2 weeks AGO
Westra, Dayle
Courtesy of IDAHO SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY
SANDPOINT — A former Bonner County resident has pled guilty to one count of lewd conduct with a minor as part of a plea deal. The charges are correlated to a 2009 incident.
Dayle Scott Westra, 51, was originally charged with three counts of lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 16 but only entered an Alford plea of guilt for the third count as part of the agreement.
Under an Alford plea, a defendant admits no wrongdoing but concedes a guilty verdict could result following a trial. The plea is treated no differently than a standard plea of guilt at sentencing.
As part of the pretrial settlement, Westra is expected to face 25 years in jail — 18 years determinate, seven years indeterminate. He is also facing up to a $50,000 fine.
Due to the sensitive nature of the case, all court documents have been sealed from the public.
During the hearing, Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall told the court that the allegations stem from a recorded call that occurred around a year ago between the victim and Westra, where Westra allegedly admitted guilt of the lewd conduct.
The victim, at the time of the incident, was between the ages of 4 and 5.
Westra was arrested on the matter Feb. 25, in Ada County, his county of residence.
In 2010, Westra faced similar charges in Bonner County after pleading guilty to molesting an 11-year-old girl, where he served two-and-a-half years in jail. He is currently on parole for the matter until 2029.
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