A potentially lengthy trial was averted last week in Spokane County Superior Court when a convicted child molester agreed to undergo two years of intense sex offender treatment.

The state sought to have Carleton Sylvester Smith, 46,(pictured in 2008)  civilly committed as a sexually violent predator following a 1999 conviction of child molestation, as well as allegations of the same kind from 1997 that never resulted in criminal charges, said Smith's lawyer, Tim Trageser.

Smith was caught masturbating while on a Spokane County Sheriff's inmate's work detail and also was caught on video masturbating outside of a downtown daycare. Authorities also alleged he stalked young women at a local coffee shop.

Potential jurors were being questioned last week when Smith agreed to undergo two years of treatment at the Special Commitment Center on McNeil Island.

If he follows through with his obligations, Smith could be released to a half-way house for sex offenders, Trageser said.

"To me it was a sweet deal. He gets treatment and the state gets supervision," Trageser said.

Read more about Smith's case here.

An electronic tracking device helped notify authorities that Smith had been lurking near a day car in 2007. Read more here.