Sitler will request to live with son

Sex offender admitted to having ‘contact with his child that resulted in actual sexual stimulation’

By Garrett Cabeza, Daily News staff writer

An attorney for convicted sex offender Steven Sitler will ask 2nd District Court Judge John Stegner on Wednesday to allow his client to once again reside with his family and young son under the chaperonage of his wife and parents.

Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson said the state will oppose the motion.

This past September, Sitler, who was already serving a life term of probation for lewd conduct with a child under 16, admitted in a state polygraph test to having “contact with his child that resulted in actual sexual stimulation.” At that point a judge ordered Sitler must have an approved chaperone within direct line-of-sight anytime he was with his child. His wife, Katie Sitler, and parents were disqualified as approved chaperones at the time due to failure to report incidents and disclosures. Steven Sitler’s mother, Roxanne Sitler, was reinstated as a chaperone in January. Steven Sitler’s attorneys will request that his father, Dave Sitler, be reinstated as chaperone as well.

Steven Sitler served one year with the Idaho Department of Corrections and less than a year in the custody of the Latah County Jail after he was sentenced to life in prison with retained jurisdiction in September 2006 under a Rule 11 plea agreement with the state of Idaho for lewd conduct with a child under 16. After serving almost two years, he was released with a life term of probation.

According to a letter from Valley Treatment Specialties submitted to the court April 7, Katie Sitler attended individual chaperone review and planning sessions and successfully completed her obligation with VTS, which was recommended by the state. In an additional letter submitted April 25, treatment provider David Nystrom, writing on behalf of VTS, wrote Katie Sitler had demonstrated an increase in knowledge and skill and was an appropriate chaperone for Steven Sitler and the couple’s son.

VTS also developed a suggested “safety plan,” which had been requested by the state, before Steven Sitler could begin residing with his family. The plan included 12 stipulations, including:

• Steven Sitler must be in the line of sight of a chaperone when he is with his son;
• Steven Sitler is not allowed to be alone with his son or to bath or diaper the child;
• When Katie Sitler is in the bathroom, Steven Sitler or the couple’s son must be in line of sight when another chaperone is not present;
• Steven Sitler will report high-risk behaviors and may be polygraphed;
• Katie Sitler may be asked to participate in a polygraph if reasonable concern is present regarding possible violations of the plan or chaperone agreement.

Steven Sitler’s hearing is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Latah County Courthouse.

Garrett Cabeza can be reached at (208) 883-4631, or by email to gcabeza@dnews.com.