In the News - August 20, 2013

In the News

Bringing you the latest domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and teen dating abuse-related news from across Idaho.

Nurturing Healthy Relationships

Mike Crapo Guest Opinion Piece on Healthy Relationships

http://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/opinion/nurturing-healthy-relationships/article_89e1416e-fe25-11e2-afcf-001a4bcf887a.html#axzz2cAtU5cH8

Prostitution Arrests Rare in Twin Falls

TWIN FALLS - Across the country this week, during a three-day FBI sweep, police arrested 150 pimps and rescued 105 children who had been forced into prostitution. While there were no Idaho arrests, local investigators say they know human trafficking happens here. The Magic Valley lies along a main corridor of the interstate system, which means drugs and humans are being trafficked across our borders. Prostitution arrests are fairly rare in Twin Falls, and detectives with local police and the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office say they haven't seen a case of child prostitution in their careers. In many local cases, women who may or may not have a pimp come into town, advertise they're at a hotel, then move on, said sheriff's Lt. Perry Barnhill. "I wish we could look into it more," Barnhill said. "I think we could find out a lot more about it." The sheriff's office was extremely productive in its Rock Creek Park sting operation last summer, he said. "We were there for a short time and had two customers right away." Barnhill said deputies could stand to do more operations, but the time it takes to set them up is a roadblock. "It is solely time and manpower," he said. "It's not a funding issue."

City Leaders to Help Prevent Child Sex Abuse

IDAHO FALLS - A local woman wants Bonneville County public officials to understand the warning signs of child sexual abuse and how to prevent it. About two weeks ago, the mayor of Idaho Falls, the Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney and the sheriff signed a prevention pledge. The pledge is going to teach public officials how to talk to kids and their families who experience child abuse. City leaders will also take classes to teach them how to prevent child abuse in the county. In September, a class will be held here at the Bonneville County Courthouse where prosecuting attorney Bruce Pickett works. The classes will be about three hours long. Jen Austin-Mathewson is Mrs. Bonneville County America. She's asking city leaders to sign her pledge that consists of 12 promises. They signed it and are now promising to receive training on how to better report abuse and how to prevent it.

http://www.localnews8.com/news/city-leaders-to-help-prevent-child-sex-abuse/-/308662/21237512/-/srwf1x/-/index.html

U Visa Program Aids Immigrants, Police in Treasure Valley

... The program is best known among groups helping victims of domestic violence. Catholic Charities of Idaho's Domestic Violence Immigration Program provides legal services to individuals and families in southwestern Idaho. Lawyers typically charge between $3,000 and $8,000 to process a U visa application. Serving a low-income population, CCI charges a flat rate of $750 for requesting certification from law enforcement, gathering evidence, preparing affidavits and completing applications. "There is nothing more fulfilling than helping someone who has already needlessly suffered, and rather than revictimizing the individual, this is our opportunity to provide help, hope and promote justice," said Katherine Rubin, an immigration legal services case worker at CCI.

Idaho Supreme Court Upheld Two Life Sentences

The Idaho Supreme Court upheld convicted murderer Dale C. Shackelford's two fixed life sentences Friday in its response to the former Kendrick man's appeal. Shackelford argued that he should have been given a different judge when he was resentenced in 2011 and that certain testimony should have been inadmissible. Shackelford, 51, was convicted in 2000 of shooting his ex-wife, Donna Fontaine, and her boyfriend, Fred Palahniuk, the year prior at Fontaine's Kendrick home and then burning the home to the ground to cover up the murders. He was also convicted of first-degree arson, conspiracy to commit arson and preparing false evidence. Latah County Second District Judge John Stegner took back the death sentence he imposed on Shackelford in 2005 after a motion for post-conviction relief was filed, instead sentencing Shackelford to the two fixed life sentences in 2011. The judge dismissed an earlier motion to disqualify himself from the sentencing, which Shackelford filed because he felt Stegner was prejudiced due to his presiding over the murder trial and trials for his co-defendants. His ex-girlfriend, Bernadette Lasater, was sentenced to up to six years in prison for being an accessory to the double murder and lying to a grand jury. In the state Supreme Court's decision Friday, Justice Jim Jones wrote that a trial judge is not required to forget the incidents that came before sentencing, nor is it plausible they could, adding Stegner "acted within the bounds of his discretion."

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2013/aug/18/two-life-sentences-upheld/

Judge Won't Shorten Sentence for Idaho Man Convicted of Wife's Murder

POCATELLO - A 6th District judge says he won't shorten the sentence for a Pocatello man convicted of the murder of his estranged wife. The Idaho State Journal (http://bit.ly/SxHTxs ) reports an attorney for Michael Sparks asked Judge Stephen Dunn on Monday to reduce the indeterminate portion of his sentence to 10 years. Sparks pleaded guilty to 2nd degree murder earlier this year in connection with the death of Judith Johnson in 2011. He was sentenced to life in prison, with the judge saying he would be eligible for parole after serving at least 20 years. Sparks wanted the judge to reduce the total sentence to 30 years, with 20 fixed, but Dunn refused. The judge said he wants Sparks to remain under the supervision of law enforcement if he is ever paroled.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/b4138229419945ff881c713a762a06cd/ID--Sparks-Sentence

Man Twice Convicted of Murder Asks for Third Trial in Lewiston

LEWISTON - A judge in north-central Idaho will decide if a man who has already been convicted twice of murder for the deaths of two people in 1983 should get a third trial. The Lewiston Tribune reports 56 -year-old Mark Lankford is appealing his 2008 jury conviction for the beating deaths of U.S. Marine Capt. Robert Bravence and his wife, Cheryl, at an Idaho campsite. Lankford was originally sentenced to death for the crime, but in 2007 an appellate court found there was an error in jury instructions and ordered a new trial. That trial resulted in a sentence of life in prison. Now he contends he should get a third trial because he says he has new evidence. A hearing on the matter began Monday in Orofino's 2nd District Court.

http://www.krem.com/news/local/Man-twice-convicted-of-murder-asks-for-third-trial-217596771.html

Man Who Offered Toddler for Sex Sent to Prison

BOISE - Jason Lloyd Schaber, 41, who pleaded guilty in May to sexual exploitation of children and felony distribution of sexually explicit images of minors, was sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge told Schaber this case stood out among cases he has presided over. "This is one of the most insidious and heinous cases I've handled in my 50 years on the bench," Lodge said. Schaber was arrested in May 2012 after posting an ad the month before in the "Casual Encounters" section of Craigslist. He offered to provide a toddler for sex, without mentioning her age. A man who responded to the ad notified police after Schaber responded to an email, saying the girl was 3. Although the ad was deleted, detectives were able to tie it to Schaber's email account. They found he had placed the ad four other times between September 2011 and April 2012. Three of the five postings offered trading sex with the child for money. Investigators said it did not appear Schaber had met anyone or received any money through the ads. After seizing his computer, investigators found images of Schaber having illegal sexual contact with the toddler, who was known to him.

Nampa Man Gets 20 to Life for Murder-for-Hire Plot

NAMPA - A 45-year-old Nampa man has been sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Lorenzo Corral was convicted in April of conspiring with Jose de Jesus Rodriguez to kidnap and kill Edgar Maldonado of Nampa. Court records said Corral believed Maldonado was dating his ex-wife and offered Rodriguez $5,000 to kill him. The Idaho Press-Tribune reports Deputy Canyon County Prosecutor Gearld Wolff described Corral as cold-blooded and ruthless and said his plan was only stopped when a third potential co-conspirator went to police.

Third District Judge Renae Hoff also sentenced Corral on Tuesday to a concurrent 5 to 20 years for kidnapping.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/crime/Nampa-gets-20-to-life-for-murder-for-hire-plot-218685111.html

Bingham Memorial Hospital CEO Pleads Guilty to Stalking Charge

BOISE - Louis Kraml, the Chief Executive Officer of Bingham Memorial Hospital in Blackfoot, entered a plea of guilty today to a misdemeanor charge of stalking in the second degree, Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. Prior to Kraml's plea entry, the Seventh District Court unsealed indictments which were handed down by the Bingham County Grand Jury on June 19, 2013. The indictments charged Kraml, and former hospital Information Technology Department employees Jack York, Chris Behunin and Tyler Lassen, with various violations of the Idaho wiretap statute. According to the indictments, the defendants intercepted and recorded phone calls made by and to former hospital doctor Robert Rosin and his staff between June 2009 and August 2010. Pursuant to a plea agreement, the Office of the Attorney General, acting as Special Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney, filed an amended indictment today charging Kraml with stalking in the second degree. District Judge David Nye sentenced Kraml to: 30 days in jail, one year on probation and ordered him to perform 100 hours of community service and pay a $1,000 fine. The court suspended the jail sentence and entered a withheld judgment.

Judge Rules Enough Evidence for Trial in Wife-Murder Case

MOSCOW - An Idaho judge determined there is probable cause to try two Moscow men in the death of a Clarkston, Wash., woman who went missing more than three years ago. 2nd District Court Magistrate John C. Judge ruled Thursday after a three-day preliminary hearing for 52-year-old Charles A. Capone and 49-year-old David C. Stone. The men are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Capone's estranged wife, Rachael Anderson. Her body has not been found. Testimony at the preliminary hearing indicated Anderson died at Capone's shop in April 2010, where she was last seen with both men. Capone reportedly bought a tarp the next morning. Defense attorneys argued there was no evidence of Anderson's death in the state of Idaho. The pre-trial hearing began Tuesday morning in the case. Investigators believe Capone was the last person to see Rachel Anderson alive. Anderson's Family said Capone stalked her after they separated and she disappeared months later. Anderson's oldest daughter, Amber Griswold and a man who says Stone originally asked him to kill Stone's wife and later stated he and Capone were going to kill each other's wives may testify for the prosecution. Witnesses also include a number of officers, detectives and deputies from Lewiston and Moscow. Stone's attorney questioned the Captain why he didn't record the interview with Stone during the murder investigation. The Latah County Prosecutor will not seek the death penalty for Charles Capone and David Stone if they are convicted of murder. Capone is charged with first degree murder for the 2010 death of Anderson, 40. She vanished in April 16th, 2010 as the couple was preparing to divorce.

Former Youth Club Worker Pleads Not Guilty to Rape

LEWISTON - A north-central Idaho man who formerly worked for the Lapwai Boys and Girls Club pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and lewd conduct with a child. Tyrel J. Smolinski, 21, entered the plea in Lewiston's 2nd District Court on Tuesday. Prosecutors say he sexually abused a 15-year-old girl between December of 2012 and May of this year. The Nez Perce County Sheriff's office says the alleged crimes did not occur on Boys and Girls Clubs property or during club activities. Smolinski is scheduled for a jury trial on Nov. 11.

http://www.krem.com/news/local/Former-Idaho-youth-club-worker-pleads-not-guilty-to-rape-217917141.html

Brother of Mall Attack Suspect Arraigned on Child Porn Charges

BOISE - A judge ordered Richard Macho to have only limited contact with children during his Tuesday court appearance. Macho was charged with five felony counts of possessing sexually exploitative materials after the Idaho Crimes Against Children Task Force reportedly found illegal images depicting minors on his computer. Prosecutors asked that Macho be barred from having contact with any children, including his own, because of the nature of his crimes. Macho asked Judge Daniel Steckel not to do that. "I love my children, I'd never do anything to hurt them," Macho said of his 8- and 12-year-old sons. Steckel found a compromise - ordering Macho to stay away from all children, including his own, unless accompanied by another adult over the age of 21. "You cannot be alone with your kids, under any circumstances, at any time," he told Macho.

Sheriff: DiMaggio Fired First in Shootout

BOISE - James DiMaggio fired one and possibly two rifle shots as FBI agents closed in on his campsite in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness before an FBI agent shot him dead Saturday evening, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said Monday. Hannah Anderson, 16, was nearby when DiMaggio was shot, Gore said. Gore also revealed that last week was not the first time DiMaggio had spent time in Idaho. "He was familiar with the country in Idaho and had been there before," Gore said at a news conference in Southern California. He did not provide any details of DiMaggio's earlier travels to the state. Idaho officials last week said they had no information on whether he had visited the state previously. There are no records of DiMaggio being arrested for any crimes or cited for traffic violations in Idaho, according to the state criminal repository. DiMaggio is suspected of killing Hannah's mother, Christina, and her 8-year-old brother, Ethan, at DiMaggio's east San Diego County home. Their bodies were found Aug. 4. Gore said that Hannah did not learn about their deaths until an FBI agent who interviewed her in Idaho after the shootout informed her. The sheriff rebutted suggestions that Hannah had gone willingly with DiMaggio, an old family friend. He would not say, however, whether she had been mistreated or sexually assaulted, declining to offer any details about the time they spent together. "I can't make it any clearer: She was a victim in this case. She was not a willing participant," Gore said. Gore said Hannah is doing "as well as she can" considering the ordeal she's gone through.

Boise Man Charged with Lewd Conduct with Teen Girls

BOISE - A 39-year-old Boise man in jailed on lewd conduct charges for having sexual contact with as many as six teenage girls over a 10-year period, according to the Ada County Sheriff's Office. Lathan Spencer Flake is charged with two felony counts. Detectives say the illegal sexual contact occurred between 1998 and 2008. They began investigating Flake on Aug. 1, 2013, after a woman in her mid 20's told Meridian Police about a 1999 incident at a Kuna-area home. Upon further investigation, detectives determined Flake has sexual contact with at least five other teenage girls. All of the victims were known to him. Flake was arrested early Tuesday and booked into the jail. Flake admitted to detectives that he had illegal sexual contact with some of the girls between 1998 and 2008. The investigation is ongoing and Flake could face additional criminal charges. He will be arraigned Tuesday afternoon. If convicted of lewd conduct, Flake faces up to life in prison.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/crime/Boise-man-charged-with-lewd-conduct-with-teen-girls-218564791.html

Former Meridian School Counselor Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation Charge

BOISE - Federal prosecutors say a former Meridian Middle School counselor has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children by producing sexually explicit images of minors. Mark Alan Saltzer, 45, of Boise, entered the guilty plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court, according to U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson. Saltzer was arrested at his home last August. Investigators say two minor boys were in the home at the time of Saltzer's arrest. Saltzer admitted to repeatedly sexually molesting one of the boys starting in the summer of 2012. Saltzer has been in jail since his arrest. Authorities begin their investigation of Saltzer in October 2010. According to court documents, Saltzer was a member of an Internet group that traded child pornography with other members. He participated in the group for more than a decade. According to the plea agreement, Saltzer admitted that between 2006 and 2013 he produced sexually explicit videos of numerous boys between the ages of 11 and 17. He met and engaged his victims through Internet chat rooms. Sentencing is set for Oct. 15, 2013. Saltzer faces 15 to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/crime/Former-Meridian-school-counselor-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-exploitation-charge-217668181.html

Sentencing Delayed for Third Time in Brackett Sexual Battery Case

TWIN FALLS - Sentencing was delayed again for a Twin Falls 44-year-old man convicted of having an illegal sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl. Robert Brackett was scheduled to be sentenced Monday afternoon. He is now scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 30. This is the third delay in sentencing Brackett. Sentencing hearings were previously scheduled for May and July. Arrested in January 2011, Brackett was convicted Feb. 20 of five counts of sexual battery of a minor and eight counts of possession of child pornography. The jury couldn't decide on one count of sexual battery of a minor. Brackett acted as his own attorney during the three-week trial. Since his conviction, Brackett has filed numerous motions with the court. On April 24, Brackett filed a motion requesting an attorney through the Twin Falls County Public Defender's Office. George Essma was assigned to the sentencing, but on July 30 the public defender's office filed a notice of conflict of interest in representing Brackett.

Man Who Fathered Twins with 15-year-old Skips Court

JEROME - A Jerome man who fathered twins with a 15-year-old girl failed to appear in court for sentencing on a charge of sexual abuse of a child. The Times-News reports District Judge John Butler issued a warrant on Monday for the arrest of 22-year-old Davis Raymundo, who pleaded guilty in June. The girl, who is now 18, gave birth to twins in March 2012. DNA evidence showed Raymundo is the father. Court records say the girl told investigators she was unconscious and had no recollection of the incident, while Raymundo said he was intoxicated and couldn't remember either. Jerome County Prosecutor John Horgan has said he would recommend a sentence of three to seven years in prison, with the court retaining jurisdiction, along with $7,000 in fines and restitution to the girl.

http://www.ktvb.com/home/Man-skips-court-in-sexual-battery-case-220234841.html

Man Arrested After Four-Hour Standoff in Pocatello

POCATELLO - A male standing in the back of a pickup threatens with a knife in a standoff at the corner of 10th Avenue and Hayden Street Thursday morning after a domestic dispute. Police used a beanbag device to subdue the male and take him into custody.

http://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/man-arrested-after-four-hour-standoff-in-pocatello/article_a39149e0-05b6-11e3-b197-0019bb2963f4.html?mode=image

Warrant Served: Rape Charge

POCATELLO - A man already in the bannock county jail was served with a warrant related to a rape charge that originally took place on April 11th of 2013. The arrest took place at approximately 5:17pm Friday August 16th. Detectives from the Pocatello police department had been working on this case since the spring and served the warrant to Dylan D. Ricks, who was currently in the county jail. According to Idaho Statute 18-6104, if convicted, Ricks would serve no less than one year in state prison.

http://www.kpvi.com/content/news/local/story/Warrant-Served-Rape-Charge/tnQyCt0AcU2dGH_KOiR1lg.cspx

Police: Man Arrested for Lewd Conduct with Meridian Girl

MERIDIAN - A Terretown man is in the Ada County Jail after being charged with having sex with a 14-year-old girl. Police said Jason James Melchor, 31, cultivated an online correspondence with the girl since July, and traveled to Meridian to have sex with her. Meridian police first became aware of the illegal relationship when a relative of the girl came home to find Melchor inside the house, Deputy Chief Tracy Basterrechea said. Believing the man was a burglar, the relative called police. Melchor fled the home before officers arrived, Basterrechea said. During an investigation, police discovered that Melchor was having sex with the teenager. "We found out Mr. Melchor had been corresponding with a 14-year-old female that lived there, and had come down basically to have sex with her," Basterrechea said. A warrant was issued for Melchor's arrest Tuesday, and he was apprehended in Oregon by the La Grande Police Department Wednesday. He faces two felony counts of lewd conduct with a child under 16 and one felony count of enticing a child. Melchor is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2013/08/08/2695808/police-man-arrested-for-lewd-conduct.html#storylink=cpy

I.F. Man Arrested for Attempted Strangulation

IDAHO FALLS - Alex E. Sandoval, 29, of Idaho Falls, has been arrested and charged with attempted strangulation and domestic battery. According to Idaho Falls Police Department officials, Sandoval strangled a 29-year-old female and struck her in the face during an altercation in the 1,000 block of Ada Avenue. The alleged incident is said to have occurred on Tuesday night. Sandoval was transported to the Bonneville County Jail.

http://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/i-f-man-arrested-for-attempted-strangulation/article_276632cc-04fd-11e3-ac90-0019bb2963f4.html

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