Vachon committal hearing ends

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- A week-long committal hearing for convicted sex offender Carl Vachon concluded Friday morning in Brown County District Court.

After the hearing, Judge Terry M. Dempsey signed an order to hold the 47-year-old man at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter after his May 9 release from the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility, pending the Court's decision on the merits of the commitment petition.

Dempsey has 90 days after receiving those arguments to decide whether or not Vachon will be committed to the Moose Lake facility.

Dempsey ruled that unless Vachon is held at the security hospital for observation and confinement (after his prison release), it is likely he would cause serious, imminent physical harm to others.

The Brown County Sheriff's Department will be responsible for transporting Vachon from Lino Lakes to the St. Peter Security Hospital.

Vachon pleaded guilty to molesting a six-year-old girl while living in New Ulm in 1997.

Vachon served prison sentences for similar crimes in which the victims 9-11 year-old girls in Oregon and New Hampshire in 1976 and 1981.

The Minnesota Attorney General's Office, representing Brown County, seeks to have Vachon committed to the Moose Lake Sexual Psychopath Center when he is released from prison.

The petitioner, Assistant Attorney General Gail A. Feichtinger and Vachon's attorney, Patrick Moriarty of New Ulm, have 45 days to file final arguments with the Court.

Moriarty argued Friday that Vachon had already served his time for sexual crimes committed in other states and that further incarceration was "overkill."

Feichtinger argued that, according to two court-appointed psychologists, Vachon "posed a serious risk of the likelihood of sexually offending others" and should be held at the Security Hospital in St. Peter since he indicated he has no place to live if released from prison.

"He admitted he raped the girl, hasn't completed his sex offender treatment and admitted he still needs it," Feichtinger said.

The state submitted 37 exhibits regarding five separate sex offenses that Vachon committed with young girls and adult women. The women were under the influence of alcohol or drugs when Vachon sexually abused them, according to court testimony.

Vachon testified that he dealt with his bad feelings by having sex with his female victims.

During interviews with psychologists, Vachon admitted he was sexually abused as a child and grew up bouncing between foster homes.

Vachon said if he was released from prison, he would need to continue the type of treatment he is getting at Lino Lakes that deals with his sexual urges, relationships, anger and everyday life.

Feichtinger asked Vachon how sure he was that he would not reoffend.

"NInety percent," Vachon said. "No matter how hard it is, I have to stay away from alcohol."

Mankato psychology Dr. Linda Marshall said Vachon's IQ tested out at 86, which she called borderline to low average.

A Minneapolis psychologist said Vachon should be credited with improving his reading level from third to sixth grade since he was incarcerated at Lino Lakes.