Given a choice between believing a Clarkston police detective or his out-of-state probation officer, Paul Donovan Walde went with the out-of-stater.
He faces a four-year felony conviction if he’s wrong.
Magistrate Elizabeth Chiapelli, 52-2 District Court, arraigned Walde, Dec. 1, on charges of failure to register as a sex offender.
An interstate truck driver, Walde parked his rig in the lot across from Depot Park, Nov. 12. Overnight parking is illegal, so Clarkston Detective Roy Johnson stopped at about 4 a.m. to give him a ticket.
When LEIN records showed Walde, 40, was an unregistered sex offender, Johnson told him to register as soon as possible. Sex offenders have 10 days to register with police when moving into an area.
“Parents need to know who’s around,” Johnson said. “Like on Halloween when the kids go trick or treating, I’d certainly want to know who’s in the neighborhood.”
Walde argued he didn’t have to register, saying his probation officer told him his type of offense, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, did not require it.
‘I asked if that applied to all 50 states. He said, ‘yes,?? Walde said at his video arraignment.
He also thought he could resolve the matter at the parking-citation hearing.
The court issued a warrant, Nov. 26, for failure to register, and Clarkston police arrested him Nov. 31. Police say Walde has been living with his girlfriend on S. Main Street in Clarkston since August.
The sex offender charge resulted from a 1995 plea agreement in Virginia. He was charged with rape, but pled guilty to the lesser charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
From 1995-2001, he was arrested on domestic violence, threatening phone calls, and driving with license suspended charges. He was sent to prison in 2003 for receiving child pornography. He served 30 months and was released in 2006.
Chiapelli set a $25,000 bond with conditions that he can’t leave the state without court permission or live in a home with minors in it, and must wear a GPS tether.
Walde said he is not a flight risk.
“I’m prepared to see this completely through,? he said.
He next faces preliminary examination, set within 14 days of arraignment. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison and $2,000 fine.