Boise, IDAHO

October 29, 2008 - Mary Zahm, 43, a fourth grade at St. Joseph's Catholic School in Boise, has pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter. Police say she was intoxicated at the time of the crash which claimed the life of 83-year-old woman last November.

She was charged in June of this year and turned herself in on the arrest warrant.

She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 18.

Twin Falls, IDAHO

October 25, 2008 - William Stevens, 22, Twin Falls School District substitute teacher and volunteer volleyball coach, was arrested on Friday for lewd conduct and sex abuse charges against a 15-year-old boy.

He was charged with two counts of sex abuse of a child under 16, four counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16, both felon-ies, and distribution of obscene material, a misdemeanor. The charges stemmed from a September outing during which Stevens and the boy performed sexual acts on each other.

The boy was not a student at the school. He cooperated with authorities. He called Stevens from the police department and asked while in the presence of police why they had had a sexual encounter, court papers show."I don't have a reason why - I just thought it might be fun or whatever. Be interesting," Stevens was quoted by police as saying in court records.

Stevens, apparently, knew the boy for years. As well as volunteering as an eighth grade volleyball coach at Vera C. O'Leary Junior High School, Stevens was also a substitute teacher for a day and a half after passing a background check.

An October 31 preliminary hearing is scheduled.
Full Name: William Arthur Stevens

Burley, IDAHO

Story dated May 9, 2007 - James Pepcorn, 67, a retired teacher, was arrested and charged with one count of rape and one count of lewd conduct with a child under 16 years old.

Pepcorn was hired by Cassia County School District in 1966, and taught at Burley High School for six years. He then transferred to Burley Junior High School, where he taught science until he retired in 1994, according to school district records.

The Pepcorn family indicated he used the threat of violence against family members to prevent disclosure and told them he would never go to jail, which prompted the bond to be set so high.When Pepcorn was arrested he was armed with a 9 mm handgun, but was placed under arrest without incident. He's being held on a $1 million bond. (Bail reduced to $100,000 in June.)
NEW CHARGES Nov 19 - The trial has been delayed. New charges have been added. A Special Prosecutor took over the case when Minidoka County Prosecutor Jason Walker recused himself to avoid a potential conflict of interest. Walker's law firm at the time had represented Pepcorn in a civil matter some years earlier.

A preliminary will be held on the new charges new charges of two counts of lewd conduct and one count of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16, stem from the testimony of a second alleged victim who has come forward since Pepcorn's arrest in April.

The first victim is now in her 20s. Bail for Pepcorn was originally set at $1 million, then reduced to $100,000 in May. Stipulations for bail reduction require monitoring of his location with a Global Positioning System tracker.

NEW CHARGES Feb 6, 2008 - Judge Rick Bollar found sufficient evidence to move forward with newly-filed lewd conduct and sexual abuse charges against Pepcorn. Since his arrest, new charges have been filed including two counts of lewd conduct and one count of sexual abuse of a minor child.

Charges are expected to be combined as one case at a Feb. 11 hearing

NOT GUILTY PLEA March 10 - Pepcorn pleaded not guilty. He faces several charges of rape and lewd conduct with a minor, recently filed by Fifth District Court Judge John Melanson. Now it needs to be decided if the two cases will be combined before it all goes to trial. A consolidation hearing will be scheduled for April 28.

TENTATIVE TRIAL DATE Judge Melanson has set a tentative June 18th jury trial date, with a June 9th pretrial. We'll know by late April if the two cases can be combined.

GUILTY VERDICT October 3 - A jury deliberated for more than five hours Thursday before finding Pepcorn guilty of 3 counts of lewd conduct with a child, rape and two counts of sexual abuse of a child. A judge had agreed to move the trial to Twin Falls due to excessive pretrial publicity.

SENTENCING DATE Times News (Oct 4) Pepcorn could face life in prison

Pepcorn took the stand in his trial that spanned more than a week. He said he molested other children more than 30 years ago due to a hyperactive sex drive, but stopped after the 1970s.

The statue of limitations has passed on those crimes . He will be sentenced Dec. 15 in Minidoka County.

Craigmont, IDAHO

Washington state teacher arrested in Idaho.

April 16, 2008 - Timothy Kellis, 38, an A.G. West Black Hills High School band director, was arrested and charged in Latah County, Idaho, with one count of sexual abuse of a child, and two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years of age, all felonies.

The incidents involved two boys and are alleged to have occurred while he was a counselor at a Boy Scout camp in the summer of 2007. The Idaho State police news release stated that :while a counselor at Camp Grizzly, located in Latah County, Idaho, Timothy Andrew Kellis fondled and engaged in lewd and lascivious contact with two minors under the age of 16."

EMPLOYMENT: Kellis worked as a teacher with Highland High School in Idaho from 2001 to 2006, and investigators said he worked at Camp Grizzly in Latah County during the summer of 2007, and may have worked as a counselor during prior years. Kellis is currently a teacher in Tumwater, Washington, where he has worked since 2006. He also is the teacher for one section of the band at Black Lake Elementary School.
Full Name: Timothy Andrew Kellis

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 24.

If anyone has any additional information concerning Kellis or any of his activities, they are asked to contact Idaho State Police Detective Bolon at (208) 799-5020.
______________________
TT - The location is usually given as the school where the abuse occurred. However, no allegations of misconduct are alleged in Washington state where he currently teaches.
______________________
April 19 - KLEWtv 3: Idaho State Police say there may be more charges against Kellis. Police say as many as four more boys may come forward.

INDICTED May 15 - A grand jury indicted Kellis with ten counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years of age and two counts of sexual abuse of a child May 12 in Moscow. The charges supercede the prior charges of lewd conduct and sexual abuse that were filed against Kellis in April. Kellis was arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

GUILTY VERDICT September 19 - A jury convicted Timothy Kellis on 12 felony counts involving four Boy Scouts molested at Camp Grizzly in northern Idaho. Kellis will be sentenced Nov. 12

Shelly, IDAHO

June 27, 2008 - Shelley High School teacher Steven G. Best, 55, will stand trial for felony grand theft on July 28. He is accused of stealing more than $9,000 from the Idaho Journalism Adviser's Association. He was treasurer for the local student advisor's association.

He was formally charged on March 14 after an audit. The school allowed him to finish out the semester before he was taken into custody on April 10.

The Association has filed a civil suit against him for the missing funds and attorney costs.
-------------
Bingham County

Boise, IDAHO

Saying he had "never harmed or touched a child" in collecting child pornography for five years, lowercase judge sentenced Neil to 32 months - with only 8 months in prison, the rest in a treatment facility.

Feb 12, 2008 - Ronald Neil, 41, a Borah High School teacher, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boise Tuesday to possessing child pornography on a school district laptop computer he had at his home.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents discovered Neil’s activity after an unrelated investigation revealed that Neil’s personal credit card and home e-mail address had been used to purchase access to child pornography Web sites.

The transactions dated back as far as the fall of 2002. Neil also obtained pornographic images from other individuals using peer-to-peer file sharing software and Windows Messenger.

He had two computers at home and when agents entered the house, one of the computers was in the process of downloading a pornographic video involving teenage males. Analysis of the laptop computers turned up at least six videos and 50 still images that depicted young boys, some of them prepubescent, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

He was arrested in September and resigned in December. He will be sentenced May 14.
Full Name: Ronald Keith Neil

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has been able to identify eight of the children. As a high school teacher, a tennis coach, and liaison for the American Field Service’s international exchange program at Borah, Neil had contact with many teenagers.

Federal agents are asking that anyone with relevant information — particularly information that would help identify the children in the pictures — call Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Boise, at 685-6674.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Press Release (dated Feb 12, 2008)

Feb 12 - Community reacts to former Borah High School teacher's child porn confession

For months, Sheridan had been wondering why one of his favorite teachers was not at school. His mom, Shannon Shayne, said "my son kept asking me if I had heard anything... would I call the school, ask the school what was going on, so I did and everybody said they couldn't tell us anything at this time."

When word spread about what happened, the Borah High community was in disbelief.

SENTENCED (Sorta) May 15 - Neil was sentenced to 32 months. He will have to register as a sex offender. Only 8 months will be incarceration. The rest will be in a sex offender treatment facility. Guidelines call for a sentence of 4 to 5 years. However,

U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill said it was the shortest sentence he has ever handed down for this type of crime. That was because Neil had not touched or harmed a child. Letters from Neil's students help sway the judge in his leniency.

Child Pornography and Educators
TT - List sentenced for child pornography.
TT - List guilty but not yet sentenced for child pornography.

TT - Too bad those sexually violated children from Russia and elsewhere who were abused for Neil's entertainment didn't have a chance to write a letter. But children like that don't get to write letters; they're lucky to still be alive. Neil downloaded the images for five years and cited his own own sex abuse as an excuse. Neil reportedly locked himself in his home in shame and guilt over his abuse when he was a child.

It's fortunate that Neil's abuser didn't take photographs or movies to pass on to any filthy pervert who wanted to enjoy his humiliation and pain and was willing to pay money for it.

Lowercase U.S. District Court judge B. Lynn Winmill (pictured) was appointed by Bill Clinton. Lowercase judges are those unworthy of the capitalization of a title.

Pocatello, IDAHO

SENTENCED to five to fifteen years in prison.

Nov 21, 2007 -
Michael Dann, 31, an assiatant band director at Highland High School, was arrested for lewd conduct with a minor.

Police have been investigating Dann for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old on several occasions at the school. But police say there could be additional victims in the case, and urge anyone to come forward with more information.

Police are asking for anyone with information regarding this case to contact Detective Nielsen at 234-6121.
Full Name: Michael Kee Dann

NOT GUILTY PLEA Dec 10 - In court on Monday, Dann pleaded not guilty. He will be back in court in February for a trial
---------------------------------------
GUILTY PLEA & SENTENCING March 17 - Dann pleaded guilty to one felony count of lewd and lascivious conduct in February. He was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, five years fixed and ten indeterminate.
---------------------------------------
KVPI (Mar 17) - Judge Peter McDermott gave Dann the state's recommended sentence. Dann apologized to the court, however,

While McDermott said he appreciated Dann's willingness to take responsibility, he sentenced him to five years fixed and ten indeterminate and said he needed to impose a strict punishment to deter others from sexually abusing children.

Judge Peter McDermott: "Parents send their kids to be taught and educated - not sexually abused. They put their trust in the teachers the school district hires to protect their kids and not to touch them inappropriately, sexually."

Boise, IDAHO

Arrested for probation violation. Amazing how many female teachers who are sentenced to probation think the rules don't apply to them because the rules never have before.

ARRESTED Apr 30, 2007 -
Lauren Palmer, 22, an assistant high school softball coach at Centennial High School, was arrested and charged with felony sexual battery of a minor for allegedly having inappropriate sexual contact with a female student.

She was found in a car with the girl. The teenager was a student at Centennial High School.

City of Boise Police News Release page. [Page last updated Apr 27. Palmer was arrested on the 28th.]

GUILTY PLEA July 10 - Palmer pleaded guilty to sexual contact with a child. She will be sentenced in August.

Correction guilty plea. Thank you, poster. Even though the prosecution agreed to the withheld judgement, the final say is with the judge.

SENTENCED: March 26, 2008 -

Fourth District Judge Deborah Bail ruled that it appears to be a relatively minor, isolated incident.

She sentenced Palmer to two years probation and withheld judgment, a 30-day jail sentenced deferred, restitution for counseling for the girl and she will be required to undergo thinking errors under one-on-one counseling.

The girl was 16-years-old.

PROBATION VIOLATION - Feb 26, 2008 - Palmer was arrested by Ada County Sheriff's deputies after Idaho Probation and Parole issued a warrant for violation of parole terms and conditions.

She has conditions of her parole which include a curfew, and changing addresses without permission of Probation and Parole. She violated these two conditions, and Probation and Parole felt that these were enough to bring her back before a judge.
[TT - Hopefully, it will not be the same judge who sentenced her.]

March 10 - Palmer denies parole violation.

Melba, IDAHO

August 11, 2007 - Jared Bissen, 29, a special education teacher at Melba High School, was arrested after police were notified of a reckless driver, stopped Bissen who refused to cooperate. He rolled up his window and took off, hitting the police officer.

After a 70 mph chase, they stopped and arrested him and charged him with aggravated battery, eluding or fleeing police, reckless driving and resisting and obstructing officers.

From school web site: "Responsibility is our Theme of the Month"

Parma, IDAHO

Sentenced to 10 years; out in 180 days. What a deal.


Dec 1, 2006 - In June, Randy Eddy, 37, a Parma middle school teacher, was convicted on two counts of sexual battery of a minor for a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. [Later story says 15-years-old.]

He awaits sentencing after he completes a 180-day sexual offender treatment program.

Update May 22 - Eddy was sentenced to 10 years but after serving six months, he was released.

He was convicted by a jury last summer on two counts of sexual battery involving a 15-year-old girl in December 2005.

Originally, Eddy was sentenced to 10 years in jail with two years fixed, by 3rd District Judge Juneal Kerrick chose to retain jurisdiction of his sentence for 180 days.

[That makes no sense whatsoever.] The judge noted that Eddy had already lost the custody of his two children and any possibility of teaching again. [Surely that is a good thing -- that he won't be teaching again.]

Eddy will remain on parole for the next 9 1/2 years.

TT - Another Idaho teacher, Steven Weeks, got a similar sweetheart deal.

Kooskia, IDAHO

Sentenced. Sorta.

Jan 24, 2007 - Steven Weeks, 53, an elementary school teacher at Clearwater Valley Elementary School, has pleaded guilty to inappropriately touching a 16-year-old boy who was staying in his home at the time.

He will be sentenced in April.

May 2 - Weeks was sentenced to two to 15 years in the Idaho penitentiary. BUT Second District Judge John Stegner of Moscow retained jurisdiction over Weeks for 180 days. After that time Stegner will evaluate whether Weeks can be released on parole or must serve the minimum sentence.

Second District Judge John Stegner opted to send Weeks to a special bootcamp prison program. If Weeks completes it successfully, Stegner may opt to release him on probation.

Preston, IDAHO

Dec 6, 2006 - Warren Wilde, 70, was arrested and charged with charged with raping a 17-year old girl in 1967, when he was 32. He was a teacher at Preston High School at the time and the alleged victim was one of his students.

Idaho used to have a statute of limitations for rape cases, but just this past July, legislators passed a new law, saying now, with rape cases, how long ago it happened doesn't matter.

Some interesting comments on the Comment Board.

A 17-year-old in a little southern Idaho town, in 1967, is going to go public with such an accusation? Not a chance. According to the story, they have him on tape admitting to mulitple sexual encounters with the girl. Each one of them was statutory rape, at the very least.

Seems to be the most coherent.