Convicted rapist returns to court

A rapist from Coram convicted in 1997 returned to court Friday following new reports of multiple parole violations.

William Lester Rardon, 58, served 17 of a 37-year sentence in Montana State Prison for the sexual assault of two underage girls.

Judge Amy Eddy revoked Rardon’s additional 13-year suspended sentence in Flathead District Court on March 9.

Eddy based her decision on two violations reported by Rardon’s parole officer and the director of his community-based sex offender treatment program.

Those reports stated that Rardon had been terminated from his sex offender treatment program and possessed a camera-enabled phone in violation of the conditions of his parole.

Yellow Stone County parole officers Crystal Stevenson and Shelly Stichman testified to Rardon’s conduct and violations.

Stichman alleged that Rardon’s phone contained photos of a child with whom he was allegedly caught in bed, as well as a “selfie.” Stevenson stated that Rardon was also terminated from his last job for allegedly sexually harassing a coworker who claimed he slapped her on the butt and kicked her.

Rardon took the stand in his own defense, claiming he had no knowledge of the phone’s camera and that the photos of the girl were sent to him by the child’s grandmother whom he was dating at the time.

“That baby just loves me,” Rardon said.

He claimed that he was asleep on the bed with the 18-month-old who had been placed on his chest while her grandmother was in the next room when the child’s father walked in and reported the incident to his parole officer.

Rardon also alleged that his former coworker fabricated the claims of harassment to escape a $70 debt she allegedly owed him.

State prosecutors followed up with questions about a phone call that was recorded at the jail between Rardon and the former co-worker in which Rardon told her that she should “watch her back” once he got out of jail.

In response, Rardon shrugged and said, “I made a mistake.”

Following the revocation, Eddy labeled Rardon a level 2 sex offender, stating that while there was not enough evidence to consider him a violent sexual predator, she could not dismiss his long-standing history of sexual abuse.

Rardon’s disposition hearing has been set for March 23.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.