9 Idaho men arrested for sexually targeting children
By Eric Valentine
A sense of potential closure for some folks late last week in this part of the state was tempered by news of this past weekend’s arrest of nine Treasure Valley men who were sexually targeting children online. During a time when families gather for the holiday season to celebrate the joys of life, it is a stark reminder that darker days are part of the human experience, too.
Former Lincoln County Sheriff and Bellevue Marshal Rene Rodriguez was found guilty on six sex-related felony counts on Friday after a four-day trial in Blaine County 5th District Court. The charges were:
- 1 count of sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 16
- 4 counts of lewd conduct with a minor
- 1 count of rape, when the victim was 17 years old
Sentencing is scheduled for March 20. And each charge carries multiple-year sentences, meaning Rodriguez is likely facing life in prison. In March, Rodriguez will also be facing a felony charge in Twin Falls County, for alleged sexual abuse of a minor.
Rodriguez was a controversial figure in the Wood River Valley, specifically in Bellevue where he was a Marshal’s Office deputy from 2008 to 2013. Several residents had expressed to The Weekly Sun their concerns about Rodriguez’s conduct while performing his duties during that time.
Meanwhile, in the Treasure Valley, an online sting operation resulted in the arrests of nine people for sex-related coersion and enticement, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden’s office has confirmed. The operation involved federal, state and local agencies. Homeland Security investigations organized and supervised the operation. Idaho State Police, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, Ada County Prosecutor’s Office, Meridian Police Department and the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit served as lead agencies.
Five of the men face prosecution on state charges and four of them were federally charged. The suspects were booked into the Ada County Jail. Their ages range from 23 to 55. They were all residents of the Treasure Valley (Boise, Garden City and Kuna) except for one man from Fruitland.
“It’s an honor for the ICAC Unit to participate in this type of operation,” Wasden said. “To plan and coordinate such a project takes significant time and energy. But when you see the outcome and know Idaho children are now safer as a result, it’s very satisfying.”
“While technology has improved our lives immensely, unfortunately, when used inappropriately, it has also made it much easier for predators to prey on children,” Meridian Deputy Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea said. “Hopefully this operation helps send the message we will not tolerate these crimes in our community.”
Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at (208) 947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678.