Former D.A. Serra sentenced to one year in jail, four years probation

Special prosecutor doubts former DA
will see any more jail time

Former 7th Judicial District attorney Myrl Serra has been sentenced to one year in prison for a bond violation, 60 days in the Montrose County jail for sex-related convictions and four years of intensive sex-offender probation after submitting an Alford plea, which stops short of admitting guilt to the charges of criminal extortion, unlawful sexual contact, and bail bond violations he faced.

A press release from the state’s attorney general says, “Following his conviction and plea—in which Serra acknowledged that sufficient evidence existed for a jury to find him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt—Serra reached an agreement with the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel in mid-December 2011 to be disbarred and lose his license to practice law.”
However, despite Serra’s facing as much as 15 years behind bars for his crimes, Montrose County District Court judge David Bottger credited Serra the 130 days he’s already spent in the Montrose jail.
According to a Denver Post report, special prosecutor Robert Shapiro said he doubts Serra will see any actual prison time, since District Judge David Bottger said Serra is more likely to get treatment for his sexual and mental-health problems outside the prison system. However, he will serve the 60 days in the Montrose County jail. Shapiro also said he expects to see Serra back in court within a year for violating the terms of his probation.