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Judge orders evaluation for man in luring case

A judge ordered a mental capacity evaluation at the state hospital in Jamestown for a Watford City man who is accused of falling for an online Ward County Sheriff’s Department underage sex sting on Feb. 10.

Derrik Dustin Childs, 27, is charged with luring a minor by computer, a Class C felony, and could face up to five years in prison if he is convicted. He would also be required to register as a sex offender.

His attorney, Ashley Gulke, said in district court in Minot Wednesday that Childs waived his preliminary hearing in the case without understanding what that meant. At a hearing in September, she said Childs has learning disabilities. She wanted the evaluation to determine whether Childs is fit to stand trial. Gulke said, if Childs is convicted without having been evaluated, the case would be a good candidate for post conviction relief.

The state’s attorney’s office objected to Gulke’s request for an evaluation.

Hagar signed the order for the evaluation from the bench on Wednesday and rescheduled the pre-trial conference in the case for Jan. 31.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the court, Jason Kraft of the Ward County Sheriff’s Department created a fake online profile on the dating website Plenty of Fish using a photo of Deputy Nicole Brasfield that was taken when Brasfield was 16.

Childs, using the online user name “derrikkilla” responded to the profile. Kraft, posing as the fake girl, sent Childs a message telling him that the girl was 16. “Derrikkilla” then responded that he was 26. Childs then sent sexually explicit messages to the fake girl and sent her a picture of his genitals. He later allegedly arranged for the girl to meet him at his place in Watford City.

– Andrea Johnson

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