Sex offender heads home

Greg Haidl, a former Orange County assistant sheriff’s son who was convicted in a high-profile sexual assault case three years ago, is set to be released from prison today, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections said.

Haidl is set to depart Pleasant Valley State Prison after completing a six-year sentence that began during his trial. Bill Sessa, a spokesman for the department, said Haidl was classified as a “high-control parolee,” meaning that he will have tighter supervision than most people on parole. In addition, he will have to register as a sex offender at any future addresses.

“Between being put in high-control classification and being a sex offender, that means he will be very tightly supervised by parole agents,” Sessa said.

He would not disclose where Haidl planned to go upon his release, although he noted that parole agents would meet him at the prison gates to accompany him back to Orange County.

Haidl and two friends were convicted on multiple felony counts in March 2005 after a videotape emerged that showed them sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl on a pool table at a Corona del Mar home.

The footage, not been released to the public, reportedly showed Haidl, Keith Spann and Kyle Nachreiner assaulting the girl with cigarettes, a pool cue, a bottle and a juice can while she lay unconscious.

Haidl was convicted of an unrelated offense in December 2006 when he pleaded no contest to charges of having sex with a 16-year-old girl at a home in Dana Point two years earlier.

The judge handed him a six-month sentence, but since he was currently serving his larger sentence, he spent no extra time behind bars.

The victim of the assault, known only as Jane Doe, filed a civil lawsuit in December 2005 against Haidl, Nachreiner, Spann, Haidl’s father and their defense team. Attorney Sheldon Lodmer said the parties had not yet reached a settlement in the case.

“We’re close, but we’re not quite there,” said Lodmer, who added that he expected closure within the next few weeks.

Defense attorney Joseph Cavallo, who represented Haidl in court, said upon hearing the news of his release, “I’m happy for him and his family.”

Haidl got out early from his six-year sentence, according to Sessa, because he had already served time in Orange County Jail before and during his trial and because he had accumulated good behavior credits in prison.

“For all practical purposes, he’s finished his sentence,” Sessa said.

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at michael.miller@latimes.com.