Prosecutor: Sitler arrested on allegations of voyeurism

Convicted sex offender being held at Latah County Jail for probation violation

By Omie Drawhorn, Daily News staff writer

Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson said convicted sex offender Steven Sitler was arrested Monday on an allegation he was engaging in voyeurism. Thompson said this was a violation of Sitler’s probation. Thompson said Sitler, 22, will remain in custody at the Latah County Jail until he appears before a judge. Prior to Monday’s arrest, Sitler was residing at 801 Residence Street, within 150 feet of Grandma Bea’s Day Care, located at 807 West C Street.

Sitler was released on probation in May after serving less than two years of a life sentence. He was convicted in July 2005 of one felony count of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor child under the age of 16. He was sentenced that September, and his life sentence was subject to annual review.

Thompson said there is nothing in Sitler’s probation that restricts him from living close to a day care. “It’s up to the Department of Corrections as to where he lives,” he said. “There are routinely special instructions that sex offenders can’t be within a certain distance but not in this case.” Thompson said there is a rule under sex offender registration that specifies distances from certain types of institutions, like schools. “They can’t loiter within 500 feet of a school or reside within 500 feet of a school,” he said.

Amy Yocki, owner of Grandma Bea’s Day Care, said she learned Thursday that Sitler was living close by and that a neighbor who is a lawyer is working on the issue and talking to Moscow City Attorney Randy Fife. “Even if I didn’t own a day care I would be concerned about him being in the neighborhood,” Yocki said. She said there is a preschool at the day care, so the day care would seem to qualify as a school. She said a parent meeting will be organized to make parents aware of the issue. “He didn’t disclose to the neighborhood that he was here,” she said. “These sorts of things you have to take one step at a time.”

Sitler is not permitted to move anywhere without permission from his probation officer. Other conditions of his probation include submitting monthly reports to his probation officer, not leaving the probation district of Lewis, Idaho, Clearwater, Nez Perce and Latah counties without permission from his probation officer and seeking and obtaining a job that he must keep unless he has the permission of his probation officer. Sitler is not allowed to carry a weapon or consume alcohol or controlled substances, and he must pay restitution for counseling expenses of his victims. He is subject to polygraph tests at his own expense and cannot associate with any person under the age of 18 without another adult present who has been approved by his probation officer. He also is not allowed to go to any city park, grade school, junior high or high school without supervision.

Sitler is a former New Saint Andrews College student. He was expelled after he confessed to sexually abusing a Christ Church parishioner’s child.

Omie Drawhorn can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 234, or by e-mail at odrawhorn at dnews.com.