SANDPOINT — A man with prior sex offense convictions and new allegations of additional crimes, including unlawful possession of a firearm, pleaded not guilty Wednesday, Oct. 23. 

Donald J. Lavare, 53, entered the not guilty plea on two charges of sexual abuse by soliciting a minor, one count of lewd conduct with a minor and six charges of unlawful possession of a firearm.  

Lavare is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 9 for trial, with a pretrial conference slated for Feb. 2 

If found guilty, Lavare could be facing an enhanced punishment for being convicted of first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree rape of a minor in 1996 while living in New York.    

He is currently being held at the Bonner County Jail on a $750,000 bond.  

According to the New York sex offender registry, Lavare resided in New York, Indiana and Idaho.   

Court documents on the case against Lavare are sealed due to the sensitive nature of the files but indicate that Lavare is being charged for allegedly soliciting two minors, aged six and seven, to participate in a sexual act.