A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty Tuesday in Clay County District Court to a child endangerment charge stemming from an incident at Moorhead's municipal swimming pool in June.
Danny Wild, 39, said he drove two girls, ages 10 and 8, from the Moorhead pool to another pool in Fargo without their parents' permission.
Following the terms of a plea agreement, Judge Kathleen Weir sentenced Wild to a year in jail, with all but 30 days stayed. He was also fined $3,000, with all but $1,000 stayed.
Wild be on supervised probation for two years.
The father of one of the girls told Weir he thought Wild was getting off too easy.
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"This guy's walking away with a slap on the wrist," he said. "Thank God my child made it back safely."
Chief Assistant Clay County Attorney Ken Kohler said given the situation, the child endangerment count was the most severe charge the state could bring and still hope to win if the case went to trial.
Wild originally faced kidnapping and false imprisonment charges.
Weir told the girl's father that a psychological examination found no evidence Wild was a sexual predator.
Readers can reach Moorhead Bureau Chief Dave Olson at (701) 241-5555
