Former Fernley youth coach arrested in Montana on child molestation charges

Robert Perea. The Fernley Reporter

A former Fernley youth coach was arrested in Helena, Mont. on a handful of child molestation charges alleged in Lyon County.

Donald Neil Belgarde, 51, was arrested on a warrant issued Dec. 10 by Canal Township Justice of the Peace Lori Matheus.

According to the Helena Independent Record, court documents state that between June 1, 1998, and Sept. 1, 1999, Belgarde sexually penetrated a child under age 14 in Fernley. According to a criminal complaint, this occurred again with a different child between June and September of 2006. The complaint stated that neither victim was mentally or physically capable of resisting or understanding the nature of the conduct.

The Independent Record reported that the two lewdness with a child charges come from Belgarde's alleged inappropriate touching of the first victim between 1998 and 2000. The open or gross lewdness charge stems from an allegation that Belgarde, while nude, showed the second victim pornography in 2005.

Belgarde is currently set to remain in the Lewis and Clark County Detention Center. A court appearance for Belgarde is scheduled for Jan. 15 at 1 p.m.