(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The former Deputy District Attorney for the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office pleaded not guilty to charges of sexually assaulting a child. David McConkie made a virtual appearance in El Paso County Court via WebEx on Wednesday, Feb. 7.
Following his plea, prosecutors indicated that they anticipate a lengthy trial lasting at least two weeks, and scheduled it for May 28. The defense stated their intention to call five witnesses during the trial.
It was noted by prosecutors that they had extended a final plea offer to McConkie, proposing a guilty plea to a class five felony of Sexual Assault on a Child. They said this offer remains open for the defense to consider until March 6.
McConkie was the former Deputy District Attorney from 2008 to 2011 and a prominent local Mormon church leader. The case came to light following an investigation initiated by the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) in July 2023, prompted by a referral from the Department of Human Services.
McConkie was arrested at the end of August 2023 on the alleged felony charge of Sexual Assault on a Child for nine years, spanning from 2004 to 2013, beginning when the victim was an infant.
According to the arrest affidavit, the victim, now 19 years old, disclosed to investigators with CSPD that the alleged repeated instances of inappropriate touching by McConkie, persisted until she was 12 years old. She recounted that the alleged incidents typically occurred while McConkie was sleeping next to her.
The victim also revealed that McConkie allegedly confessed to her at one point that there was at least one other instance of sexual acts toward her when she was an infant.
Moreover, arrest papers indicate that McConkie allegedly confessed to a church leader in 2008 about inappropriate sexual acts with a child. While the individual who reported this confession, “explained that this confession shocked him,” he did not inquire further into the matter.
According to the affidavit, the victim’s concerns extend beyond her own experience, as she fears McConkie may be abusing other children as young as six, based on observed behaviors. Apart from the named victim, three other minors are mentioned in connection to this case, all of whom had contact with McConkie.
Following his tenure at the District Attorney’s Office, McConkie transitioned into private practice, becoming a partner at a local law firm. Concurrently, he held the position of president of the Colorado Springs East Stake within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2016 to 2023.
