FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield man accused in Wisconsin of abusing a former student in 1969 has pleaded guilty to a reduced charge.

Dale Soppe, 72, was accused of indecent behavior with a child and enticing a child for immoral purposes. Both charges were felonies. It emerged last week that Soppe had reached a plea bargain with prosecutors, and those details are now public.

The charge of indecent behavior was reduced to fourth degree sexual assault, a Class A misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail, followed by two years of probation.

Prosecutors dismissed the enticement charge entirely.

Court records show Soppe was also ordered to be evaluated as a sex offender and comply with the court’s recommended treatment. Soppe must also register as a sex offender.

Neither the Wisconsin nor Iowa sex offender registries had a listing for Soppe as of Thursday morning. Wisconsin law allows for registration within 10 days. The U.S. Department of Justice Web site did not contain a listing, either.

Soppe’s prosecution was very unusual, according to Wisconsin authorities. Soppe never appears to have lived in Wisconsin, and the case is linked to a single visit by Soppe to a former student identified only as RJH nearly 40 years ago.

While authorities think Soppe abused the student while both were at the Western Dubuque School District, no charges were ever filed in Iowa. Too much time has passed.

That would usually be the case in Wisconsin as well, but things change when a suspect leaves the state in which a crime is committed. In essence, the clock stopped when Soppe went back home to Iowa. That loophole allowed prosecutors to open the case against Soppe and bring charges in May 2006.

Prosecutors said Soppe visited RJH’s family and allowed the then-13-year-old to drive his car to a secluded location about a mile from the family’s home. That’s where the abuse took place.

A Wisconsin investigator met with Soppe as part of the inquiry. The criminal complaint documents include a report on that meeting.

“When confronted with what RJH had said, Soppe stated that if [RJH] said it, it did happen as Soppe stated he knew [RJH] real well and that [RJH] is very honest. Soppe did recall coming to the residence in Barron County and that he had a Volkswagen vehicle, but did not recall whether or not he fondled [RJH] in the car,” the complaint reads.

Matt Milner can be reached at (641) 683-5359 or via e-mail at mwmilner@mchsi.com