Ted Klaudt

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Ted A. Klaudt
Ted Klaudt
Member of the South Dakota House of Representatives
from the 28th district
In office
1999 – 2006
Preceded by Kenneth Wetz
Succeeded by Betty Olsen
Born April 9, 1958 (1958-04-09) (age 50)
Walker, South Dakota
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse Connie Klaudt
Children 2 foster daughters
Profession Farmer, rancher, former state legislator

Ted A. Klaudt (born 9 April 1958) is a farmer, rancher, and former member of the South Dakota House of Representatives (1999-2006) from Walker, South Dakota, United States. In November 2007 he was convicted of four counts of raping his two foster daughters.

Contents

[edit] Legislative career

Klaudt was a Republican member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 1999 to 2006 when he was termed out of his seat and decided to run for state Senate, but was defeated by Democratic challenger Ryan Maher. His House seat was filled by Betty Olson. While in office, he co-sponsored several bills that took aim at sex offenders, including "community safety zones," prohibiting sex offenders from residing, working, or entering within 500 feet of schools, public parks and swimming pools. He also co-sponsored the bill that required South Dakota to be included in the National Sex Offender Registry, a bill that requires the Department of Social Services to inform parents about abuse or neglect involving their children in state custody, and a (defeated) bill that would have prohibited the distribution of birth control to high school students.

[edit] Child sexual abuse allegations

[edit] Indictment & arrest

On May 19, 2007, Klaudt was arrested over allegations that he had raped and otherwise sexually abused his foster daughters.[1] He was charged with eight counts of rape, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of witness tampering, sexual contact with a person under 16 (South Dakota's age of consent), and stalking, charges stemming from his activities in Corson and Hughes counties.

Klaudt entered no plea during his two court appearances following his arrest, so the judge entered not guilty pleas on his behalf, setting his bail bond at $100,000; Klaudt posted the required ten percent to make bail. On June 15, he was formally indicted on four felony counts of second-degree rape by the grand jury in Hughes County; he entered a not guilty plea to the indictment July 11.[1]

[edit] Trial & conviction

Klaudt's trial on these charges started October 30 at the Hughes County Courthouse.[1] During the trial, new evidence was made public by prosecutors which suggested that he attempted to solicit minors over the Internet in the fall of 2006, and revealed that he had used several aliases to pose as a modeling agent and engage in sexually explicit chats with minors as young as 14 to ask for their photos so that they could star in pornographic movies.

On November 7, the defense rested and the 12-person jury retired to deliberate. Three hours later, Klaudt was convicted on all four counts of second-degree rape. He was sentenced on January 17, 2008, to 44 years in prison: 11 years per count, to be served consecutively.[2] His defense counsel, Tim Rensch, commented that he wished they would have won.[1] Klaudt's attorney also worked out a plea bargain for the Corson County charges shortly after the first trial. Klaudt pleaded guilty to witness tampering in exchange for dropping prosecution of the other Corson County charges.

[edit] References

[edit] General references

[edit] Cited sources

  1. ^ a b c d Report by KSFY-TV, Rapid City, South Dakota, covering Klaudt's arrest, trial, and conviction.
  2. ^ South Dakota Lawmaker Gets 44 Years for Raping Foster Daughters in Egg Donor Scam, FoxNews.com, 2008-01-17. Accessed 2008-01-18.