FORT COLLINS, Colo. — A man who faced numerous charges, including multiple counts of indecent exposure, has been sentenced to four years in prison after entering a guilty plea for three counts, as announced by the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Stephen Masalta initially faced 36 charges, including:
- Indecent exposure (misdemeanor) – 14 counts
- Attempted indecent exposure (misdemeanor) – 2 counts
- Attempted unlawful sexual contact (misdemeanor) – 4 counts
- Attempted sexual assault on a child (felony) – 16 counts
The individual, Masalta, aged 33, was taken into custody in February on 14 counts of indecent exposure for allegedly engaging in inappropriate behavior outside various local establishments. Following his arrest, detectives conducted a search of his electronic devices and uncovered “videos of other criminal acts,” as detailed by the DA’s office.
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One of the videos revealed Masalta committing lewd acts involving bakery items while working at Safeway. Detectives, with the assistance of the DA’s office, successfully identified and informed all affected parties.
In September, Masalta pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual assault on a child (Class 5 felony) and two counts of indecent exposure (misdemeanor). He was sentenced Friday to three years in prison after serving one year in the Larimer County Jail.
As part of an agreement, once released, Masalta must register as a sex offender in Colorado. He also is not allowed to have contact with anyone under the age of 18 and is prohibited from having unsupervised internet access, according to the DA’s office.
In its announcement Friday, the DA’s office acknowledged that the case “had a great impact on the community as a whole and its unprecedented mark on the victims” but admitted that “this is a case where the resolution cannot fully encompass the depravity of Mr. Masalta’s crimes.”
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According to the 8th Judicial DA’s Office, Colorado law does not allow sentences for multiple misdemeanor charges to run consecutively. Under the agreement, Masalta will serve the maximum amount of time for the two misdemeanor charges. He was also sentenced to the maximum sentence for the felony charge, the DA’s office said.
“Beyond that, there is a significant gap within the current state of the law that prevents holding Mr. Masalta accountable for how severe his actions were,” the 8th Judicial District Attorney’s Office wrote in its release.
Fort Collins Police Services Assistant Chief issued a statement, saying, “I understand that this sentencing may not align with public expectation, and I share the view that this man’s actions were unimaginable. Unfortunately, things don’t always unfold the way we hope. Hearing about today’s sentencing won’t likely repair the trauma Masalta imposed on his victims, and I trust they are supported by family, friends, and resources available as they navigate the emotions that may arise. This case required countless hours of investigation and evidence review, and I am deeply grateful to all the detectives, officers, and staff who dedicated their time and effort to this important work.“
District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin expressed similar sentiments in his statement.
“The depravity of Mr. Masalta’s actions cannot be understated. His actions were shocking and left a considerable mark on our community,” said DA McLaughlin in a statement. “Everyone who worked on this case, detectives, officers, victim advocates, and multiple members of our team, worked incredibly hard and I am grateful for their dedication. Ultimately, we worked creatively within the law to maximize the length we could ensure the public would be safe from Mr. Masalta. Simply put, his actions were so horrific that our current law has not contemplated it, and I hope that we can work with the legislature to ensure crimes like this will be fully covered by the law in the future.”
