Child molester caught filming up girl's dress at Rohnert Park Wal-Mart to serve 8 years

A registered sex offender accused of video-recording up the dress of a 4-year-old girl at the Rohnert Park Wal-Mart settled his case Friday with an agreement to serve eight years in prison.

David Allen Ohlson, 62, of Santa Rosa faced a possible life term if convicted of annoying or molesting a child under 18, making surreptitious videos and possession of child pornography.

His criminal record included a 1983 conviction in Napa County on three counts of child molestation.

But he accepted a pretrial offer in his latest case to admit to the annoying or molesting charge in exchange for the dismissal of the others.

He will be sentenced March 27 by Judge Rene Chouteau.

Wal-Mart customers reported Ohlson filming the girl as she sat in a store shopping cart on Oct. 10.

Police arrived and found Ohlson sitting in his car in a parking lot. He had a small camera and confessed to officers, police said.

An investigation turned up evidence of other similar recordings around Santa Rosa Plaza as well as a computer containing child pornography, prosecutor Holly Holcomb said.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne.