By CHRIS COLLINS

Baker City Herald

A Haines man has been charged with sex crimes involving two young girls.

Matthew David Spence, 29, was arraigned Monday in Baker County Circuit Court on two counts of private indecency with a 3-year-old and an 11-year-old and one count of first-degree sexual abuse of the 3-year-old. Both girls were known to him, according to Oregon State Police Lt. Ray Duman.

OSP Sr. Trooper Dave Aydelotte arrested Spence at 12:05 p.m. Friday in the 1700 block of Main Street. Spence was lodged at the Union County Jail in La Grande in lieu of $62,500 bail, said District Attorney Matt Shirtcliff.

Spence was moved to La Grande because of a conflict with the Baker County Jail staff, Shirtcliff said. He was released Monday after posting $6,250 (10 percent of the total bail).

The charge of private indecency alleges that Spence exposed himself to the girls for the purpose of arousing himself in a place where the girls had a reasonable expectation of privacy, Shirtcliff said. The first-degree sexual abuse charge, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 75 months in prison upon conviction, alleges that Spence subjected the 3-year-old to sexual contact.

The crimes took place in Baker City between May 18, 2007, and May 25, 2007, Shirtcliff said.

The investigation is continuing. Shirtcliff said he plans to take the case before a grand jury within the next couple of weeks.