Defendant takes the stand in child sexual abuse trial
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POCATELLO — A Pocatello man who has been accused of child sexual abuse took the stand Thursday during the third day of his trial.
Dean Stewart Anderson, 39, is charged with two counts of lewd conduct with a minor, for allegedly sexually abusing a then nine-year-old girl at the end of 2020.
While on the stand, Anderson gave his recollection of events that took place between October and December 2020.
During his statements, Anderson agreed with the victim’s mother about how their relationship began. He said when they got together, he tried to provide stability and cared for the victim and her brothers.
“I cared about her and her kids deeply,” Anderson said.
Anderson said he remembered the day that the victim stayed home from school on Oct. 1, the first day the victim alleges the sexual abuse occurred, but denied that any sexual abuse occurred.
He said in his testimony he remembered the couple of times when he took the victim to the store, but he also claimed it wasn’t uncommon for him to be alone with one of the mother’s children because it was easier to take them out of the house that way. He denied any sexual abuse had occurred during these instances.
Anderson claimed he would never let something like that happen in his home, but Tognetti pointed out that this wasn’t the first time he’d been accused of something like this.
Anderson admitted that he had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge when he was 32 years old when his sister accused him of “exposing her breast.” He clarified that this was separate incident from when he was accused of “inappropriately touching” a different sister when he was 17.
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Anderson said that in one instance, when the mother asked him to check his email, he “got a little nosy” and checked her Google locations in her email and saw information that led him to believe she was continuing an affair.
When she said she wasn’t coming home for lunch, he said he decided to drive to her work where he saw her entering a vehicle with another man. He said that he doesn’t remember what he said to her but that he was very upset.
Tognetti asked him if he told her he would “chop her into pieces” and spread her all around Pocatello in this confrontation. He denied that allegation, which had been initially made by the victim’s mother during her time on the stand Wednesday.
Anderson said that they had decided to break up after Christmas and he was packing to leave. Tognetti asked him why there weren’t any boxes in the pictures of their residence that police had took on Dec. 4. Anderson responded that he was packing to leave in November.
After Anderson was finished testifying, the defense rested. Defense Attorney Justin Oleson and Prosecuting Attorney Erin Tognetti will both stand before the jury and deliver their closing arguments on Tuesday.