New district attorney appointed

Serra back in court February 11

Dan Hotsenpiller is now the top prosecutor in Colorado’s seventh judicial district, which includes Gunnison County. He was appointed to the position by Gov. John Hickenlooper on Tuesday, January 25. Hotsenpiller had been named acting district attorney after then-district attorney Myrl Serra was arrested last fall on felony charges.

Serra, who was appointed district attorney in 2006, was arrested by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation on September 30 on suspicion of official misconduct, indecent exposure and unlawful sexual contact. Since then the charges against Serra have been amended to include one felony count of both unlawful sexual contact and criminal extortion.
 With a court order barring him from entering any district building, including his former office, Serra was continuing to draw his almost $150,000 paycheck as his case was moving through court, until earlier this month when he resigned, citing “concern for taxpayers” who were having to support two district attorneys.
Hotsenpiller has been a general practice attorney in Montrose since 2005, according to a press release announcing the appointment. He has worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in Grand Junction as well as an assistant district attorney in the 7th Judicial District.
The Montrose attorney will hold the post until the 2012 general election, when a new district attorney will be elected. Serra will return to court February 11.