Hearing Wednesday in assault case

A hearing is Wednesday for a 21-year-old house painter accused of the sexual and physical abuse of an 11-year-old girl.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl appointed lawyer Derrick Lopez to represent David Springer, jailed on $250,000 cash bail.

Springer was arrested Tuesday at his home in Carson City.

He told EnEarl he understood the charges against him, and asked for help placing a telephone call from Douglas County Jail.

"I can't get hold of anybody," he said.

"Maybe they don't want to talk to you," EnEarl said.

Springer is charged with sexual assault of a child under age 14 and child abuse or neglect.

The 11-year-old girl told investigators Springer allegedly kicked her in the back and punched her in the stomach in November, and sexually abused her a dozen times over several months.

At the time of the alleged incidents, Springer lived in Gardnerville.

n A 47-year-old Reno man was outfitted with a tracking device so officials can tell if he violates a protection order granted to a woman who said he left her frightening telephone calls.

Robert Blaine pleaded guilty Wednesday to stalking and received a suspended six-month sentence in Douglas County Jail.

East Fork Justice Jim EnEarl placed Blaine on probation for a year and warned to stay away from the woman.

Blaine was served with an extended protection order Wednesday.

"This is somebody he cared for, he loved," said his lawyer, Derrick Lopez.

"It was hard to let go. He behaved inappropriately. It was never his intent to hurt her. His intent is to never contact her again."

According to reports, Blaine left messages indicating he knew what the victim was wearing and where she had been.

He is accused of making the calls from Christmas through Feb. 26.

"I think he did scare the hell out of her," EnEarl said.

"To call a woman on the phone when you've broken up - to say, 'Please, give me another chance' - I can understand that," EnEarl said.

"To call her and say, 'I know what you are wearing. I know where you are going,' that's got to scare the hell out of a woman. That would probably scare the hell out of a man," he said.

"Intimidation and fear, that was his only intent," the judge said.

Blaine promised never to contact the woman.

"I wanted her back," he said. "She saved my life twice."

EnEarl said if he contacted the woman, he would go to jail.

Chief probation officer Doug Swalm asked EnEarl to approve the tracking device.

"It won't restrict his movement, we'll just know where he is," he said.

The device is paid for by a Department of Justice grant and won't cost Blaine.

He is forbidden to have alcohol or controlled substances during his probation.

Before he left the courtroom, Blaine reportedly told court personnel he "likes to have a beer after work, and wasn't going to stop. He said if he gets arrested for drinking, he gets arrested."