Predatory or a good defense? Ex-BYU baseball pitcher Candon Dahle was convicted in an Idaho child sexual abuse case. Then, he got letters of support from the three places the victim had found worth living for, after years of SA. School, dance and her child advocacy center. Does this re-victimize the victim?
“It was never a one-time mistake. It was years that he had chose to sexually abuse me. But I took my power back. I took it back when I was 12 years old and pushed his hands away for the last time. I took it back when I sat in front of detectives and told them exactly what he did. I took it back standing here today and said his name out loud letting people hear me. Candon acts powerful and entitled, but all it took was a 14-year-old girl to show the truth. I want him to know you lost to me. I’m the one who ripped off the mask.”
Candon Dean Dahle of Idaho was sentenced to 180 days in jail on Aug. 28. An abuse survivor told a packed courtroom how Dahle had sexually abused her for five years, starting when she was 7 years old.
Candon Dahle case report: https://floodlit.org/a/b168/
The 15-year-old survivor said, “Your honor, I have worked so hard the last five months to find things I love […] I finally found three […] Dance, starting high school and counseling. Candon had someone from all of those parts of my life write letters of support for him, even my own dance coach. That broke me.”
Her mother had said, “I am left speechless at the audacity of the other party asking those who are trusted adults in [Survivor’s] life – her own dance coach. A counselor from the child advocacy center she attends. A teacher at her school. Friends of ours with children her age to support her abuser.”
Full video of the sentencing (victim/survivor begins speaking at approximately 37:50): https://www.eastidahonews.com/2025/08/former-byu-baseball-starter-sentenced-for-sexually-assaulting-young-girl-for-5-years/
We at Floodlit.org have read thousands of cases and letters of support. We’ve seen Mormon bishops, friends, family and coaches write letters, but never places that the victim frequents and places that offer support to the victim. We have not seen this defense tactic previously. Perhaps we are missing part of the story. But we can’t help but wonder…doesn’t this re-victimize the victim?
This is why survivors are afraid to come forward.
Now, a petition to close sex offender loopholes gathers support.
Change.org petition – 294 signatures so far:
https://www.change.org/p/close-the-loophole-require-sex-offender-registration-for-adults-convicted-of-sexual-abuse
As part of a plea agreement, Dahle was not required to register as a sex offender, and charges involving up to three more victims in Bingham County, Idaho were dropped.
Thanks to the plea deal, Dahle’s conviction was for two lesser charges of felony injury to a child. He was initially charged in both counties with one count of felony lewd conduct with a child.
A Change.org petition created after Dahle’s sentencing urges Utah and Idaho lawmakers to “amend state law so that any adult convicted of felony crimes involving the sexual or physical abuse of children must be placed on the sex offender registry, even if charges are reduced in a plea agreement.”
At Floodlit.org, some of the convicted sex offenders we’ve listed did not have to register as sex offenders – and some who initially had to register have since disappeared from registries for various reasons, including compliance with plea agreement terms.
We believe a bright set of floodlights should continue to shine on sex offenders, forever, to protect the vulnerable and help survivors heal. People who go to Mormon church meetings or send their children to LDS activities should be aware of known sexual predators who may be present. That’s why our map (https://floodlit.org/map/ ) of accused individuals includes convicted sex offenders-like Candon Dahle, who don’t appear on current state registries.
Now as for Candon Dahle – we’ve contacted the Fremont County Clerk’s Office in Idaho three times over the past four months asking for copies of court records in his criminal case, with no response yet. Here is their website, if you’d like to give it a shot:
https://www.fremontcountyid.gov/160/Clerks-Office
According to the survivor, those who wrote letters of support for Dahle after his guilty plea included; her dance coach, a counselor from the children’s advocacy center where she was getting counseling and a teacher at her high school.
BYU baseball head coach Trent Pratt (https://byucougars.com/staff/trent-pratt ) also wrote a letter of support for Dahle.
In all, we’ve been told there were over 50 such letters. If we get them, we will try to publish them for you.
We will continue to shine a light on this case and on thousands of others.
