Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Sex offender pleads guilty to felony

Longtime resident admits to not registering prior conviction

---

By TERRY SMITH
Express Staff Writer

Randall Scott Atkins

A longtime Blaine County resident pleaded guilty Monday to a felony charge of failure to register as a sex offender for a crime committed 24 years ago in California.

In accord with a plea agreement with the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, 43-year-old Randall Scott Atkins admitted in 5th District Court that he failed to register as a sex offender after moving to Blaine County about 13 years ago.

The crime is punishable in Idaho by up to 10 years in prison.

Atkins has been free on $5,000 bond since his arrest in June 2010 by the Blaine County Sheriff's Office. He has since registered and is now listed as one of nine sex offenders living in Blaine County on the state sex offender registry at the Idaho State Police website.

According to the registry, Atkins was convicted in 1987 in Monterey County, Calif., of "lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14." Atkins was 19 at the time of the conviction.

Hailey attorney Douglas Nelson, who is representing Atkins, said after Monday's court hearing that the plea agreement specifies that the Prosecuting Attorney's Office recommend a 30-day jail sentence and probation for three years. Nelson said he will argue for less at a sentencing hearing scheduled for March 14.

Nelson said the prosecutor's office agreed to a "light sentence" for Atkins because a psychosexual evaluation found that Atkins presents "no risk to re-offend."

Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com

acheter viagra
comprar viagra
buy viagra