Sex offender gets local jail

COEUR d’ALENE — A California man is in the Kootenai County jail after being sentenced Tuesday in Coeur d’Alene for having sexual relations with a minor.

Brandon Blechinger, 37, of Manifee, was sentenced in First District Court to 10 years in prison for sexual battery of a minor. However, the judge suspended the sentence after defense attorneys pointed out Blechinger’s lack of a criminal history and a psychosexual evaluation that showed a below-average chance of recidivism.

Blechinger, a salesman for a plumbing supplier, is accused of repeatedly engaging in non-consensual sexual relationships with a 16-year-old girl last year while living in Post Falls. In Idaho, no one under 18 can give consent.

He was arrested after the teenager told her grandfather of three incidents over a five-month period, which did not include penetration, but in which Blechinger fondled the teenager when the two were alone and forcibly removed her clothing as she tried to defend herself, according to police reports.

Prosecutors asked for an underlying 15-year sentence with a mandatory term of four years behind bars. Both attorneys recognized that an investigator in a presentence report said Blechinger was amenable to community-based sex offender treatment.

Judge Scott Wayman ordered 90 days of local jail time and a three-year period of supervised probation.

Blechinger told the court he was taking opioids for an injury at the time of the incident, stealing opioids from his grandparents in addition to using the prescribed pain killers, mixing them with alcohol, and drinking as much as a half gallon of vodka daily.

After being charged, Blechinger was allowed to return to California and enroll in alcohol and drug treatment programs.

“I can’t imagine the pain and humiliation I caused to the little girl,” Blechinger said. “It never should have happened.”

Blechinger said he was at a low point in his life and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

“In no way am I denying guilt,” he told the court.

The judge agreed with attorneys that despite the seriousness of the crime, supervised probation and treatment instead of a prison rehabilitation program would meet sentencing guidelines.

“I don’t think retained jurisdiction is necessary or appropriate,” Wayman said.

He ordered 100 hours of community service, a $2,000 fine and let attorneys decide on restitution. Blechinger must register as a sex offender.