Idaho man stalked girls at Eagle library. Here’s why he could get out of prison in a year
A Star man who stalked two underage girls at the Eagle public library was offered the chance to avoid most of his prison sentence.
Back in June, a jury convicted Daniel Rowen of two counts of felony first-degree stalking after a multi-day trial, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. The charges stemmed from allegations that Rowen followed and watched two girls, aged 11 and 14, at the Eagle City Public Library in October 2023.
But that wasn’t the only incident. Rowen also faced an additional first-degree stalking charge along with a misdemeanor for stalking in the second degree for a separate incident involving two other teenage girls, court records showed. He entered into a deal with the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office on those charges and pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disturbing the peace — having admitted to watching the other teenage girls “in a manner that made them uncomfortable,” according to a complaint.
Rowen could face up to a decade in custody for those convictions. But 4th Judicial District Judge Patrick Miller last week retained jurisdiction in the 39-year-old’s criminal case and placed him on a yearlong sentencing option, typically referred to as a rider, according to a judgment of conviction reviewed by the Idaho Statesman.
Rowen will spend the next year in prison but could be out on probation in 2025 depending on his behavior and success in the program.
If he’s unsuccessful, Rowen faces a 10-year prison sentence with the option for parole after three years. But he’ll receive credit for the time he spent in the rider program and for the year he spent in custody at the Ada County Jail.
The prosecution asked the judge to send Rowen directly to prison and argued during the sentencing that without treatment, he was unlikely to change his behavior. Denise Monn, who works for the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, said there’s a “severe risk” Rowen could act on his sexual desires toward teens.
Rowen’s attorney instead asked for probation with an underlying prison sentence and said the prosecution was making assumptions. Public defender Augustus Tate said his client needed mental health treatment and neurological testing, not incarceration, because of a recent schizophrenia diagnosis.
“The best way to ensure the protection of the community in the long run is to ensure that he has adequate treatment for his mental health,” Tate said.
Miller ultimately agreed with the defense that no matter the sentence, Rowen would eventually be released back into the community. He said he didn’t think prolonged incarceration would protect the community in the long term. He wants to have a better understanding of the type of danger that Rowen could present in the future and whether it could be mitigated with treatment, Miller added.
“Prison is principally punitive in this circumstance, not rehabilitative,” Miller said.
Star police received reports of Rowen ‘acting strangely’ around kids
Just five days after Rowen was accused of stalking girls at the library, prosecutors said Rowen watched a 15- and 17-year-old girl drive into their neighborhood, according to court documents.
The Star Police Department also received “several reports” of Rowen “acting strangely” around young kids, according to a news release. In October 2023, law enforcement received reports from two other people about Rowen driving or walking by a bus stop used by elementary and middle school kids. Officers also said they saw Rowen, who had the zipper of his pants down, at a park in Star where children were playing, according to court records.
Rowen said in court that he’d abide by any requirements.
“I think these things are a misunderstanding, but I’m willing to make the necessary changes,” he said.
