Offender Avoids Trouble, Is Called Non-Predator
As neighbors work to rid their community of a convicted sex offender, it’s unclear what Erland Kautz makes of it all.
Only a handful of neighbors has spoken with him. He refused to come out of his house - guarded by two German shepherds and a Doberman - for an interview.
Kautz’s court records say his sexual offenses were crimes of opportunity - touches while helping girls onto horses, fondling in a hot tub, or molesting girls visiting his house with friends or roommates. His counselors
said he isn’t predatory, and most gave him good marks.
“Your Honor, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to you and the court for not having taken ownership and responsibility for my crime sooner,” he wrote in 1991 to First District Judge Gary Haman. “I was just too ashamed and thought I could take care of my problem on my own.” He said he’d confessed, repented and felt God had forgiven him.
Kautz’s court file contains more than a dozen letters from friends and relatives, all depicting the father of eight as kind and caring. His two young grandsons said they missed fishing with their grandfather.
A jury convicted Kautz in 1991 of one count of sexually abusing one girl and three counts of lewd conduct with three other girls. His 10-year prison sentence was suspended in favor of five years’ probation and sex offender treatment.
Kautz subsequently admitted sexually fondling or performing oral sex on 26 girls, ages 2 to 17, between 1964 and 1991.
Police could track down only a few victims. Prosecutors charged Kautz with two counts of lewd conduct with a child. But doctors said another trial would kill Kautz, who suffers from a heart condition. Charges were dropped.
“Three years have passed now. We feel justice would best be served by holding these (charges) over his head,” said Kootenai County Prosecutor Bill Douglas. “We have elected to only file these charges if he violates the terms and conditions of his probation.”
Douglas said there have been no further problems with Kautz.
“We have no knowledge of any wayward activity - not just sexual offenses, but anything. No DUIs, no shoplifting,” he said.
, DataTimes