Colby man on probation after sending lewd photos

A 27-year-old Colby man accused of sharing explicit photos and video of himself with a 17-year-old female has reached a plea deal that will allow him to stay out of jail as long as he abides by certain conditions set by the court.

David A. Paul was originally charged with causing a child between the ages of 13 and 18 to view sexual activity, a Class H felony that carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison.

However, under a deferred entry of judgment (DEOJ) agreement approved Feb. 13 by Marathon County Circuit Court Judge LaMont Jacobson, Paul was allowed to plea no contest to the original charge, along with three additional charges of misdemeanor disorderly conduct.

If he fulfills the conditions of the DEOJ over the next three years, the felony charge will be dismissed. As part of a probation agreement, he must complete an assessment and treatment and avoid any contact with his victim or any females under the age of 16.

A hearing was scheduled for Feb. 23, 2023, to ensure he has met the terms of his DEOJ.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Marathon County Circuit Court last August, the mother of the alleged 17-year-old victim first reported her suspicions to the Spencer Police Department in May of last year.

An investigation by the Spencer police uncovered a series of sexually explicit Facebook messages between Paul and the 17-year-old, starting in February of last year. Based on one of those exchanges, Paul knew the female party was still in high school and was under 18.

Between February and April, Paul allegedly sent multiple lewd photos and at least one video of himself. He also attempted to meet the teen in person, but that never happened.

According to the victim’s mother, her daughter met Paul at least once in person before the Facebook exchanges started.

Paul had been working as a custodian at Colby High School, but his alleged victim was not a student at the school, according to superintendent Steve Kolden.

Kolden suspended Paul on May 23 after police came to interview Paul about the accusations; his keys and school ID were taken at that time. He was fired on June 17 after district officials reviewed a report from Spencer police.