Pulst rape trial starts

The trial of a Chester man accused of sexually molesting minor-aged girls during the 1990s started Monday in Havre, with the trail scheduled to last up to five days.

The state charged Donald Wayne Pulst June 5 with three felony charges, two counts of sexual assault and one of sexual intercourse without consent, and a misdemeanor count of indecent exposure.

State District Judge Dan Boucher scheduled the trial to last up to five days. The trial was moved to Havre from its jurisdiction in Liberty County, where Boucher also presides as district judge.

According to court documents, the charges were filed after agents of the Montana Criminal Investigation Division interviewed the girls who said Pulst molested them.

The investigation began with an interview May 1 of last year.

One of the girls said that while she was 4 to 8 years old, Pulst would touch her while he took her for drives around Chester and in its vicinity. She said that, at least at one time while he was babysitting her and another girl at his Chester residence, he opened his robe, exposing himself and masturbating in front of them.

The other girl, who is a year older, also told the investigating agents that Pulst had molested her.