Bannock County man charged after girl says she was sexually molested for years

By Kalama Hines

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    POCATELLO, Idado (eastidahonews.com) — A man accused of molesting a girl when she was between the ages of 8 and 14 has been charged with five felony sex crimes.

Jonathan Ryan Alexander, 48, has been charged with sexual abuse of a child and two counts each of lewd conduct with a minor and rape of a minor, court records show.

A deputy with the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance at a home around 10 a.m. on Dec. 21, according to an affidavit of probable cause. While on the call, a girl told the deputy that she had been molested by Alexander on multiple occasions and that she had not told her parents.

The deputy helped the victim tell her mother about the attacks. The girl was scheduled for a forensic interview with a child advocacy group.

During the interview, the victim said that the sexual attacks began when she was 8 years old, according to sheriff’s reports.

It started with Alexander showing the girl pornographic videos on his cell phone, she said. From there, he allegedly escalated things to touching and rubbing her inappropriately.

“Sexual acts performed by (Alexander) got progressively more intense” when the girl reached the age of 11, the affidavit says.

The victim said that she attempted to refuse Alexander on multiple occasions but that he would respond with violence.

According to the affidavit, Alexander’s attacks were ongoing — most recently occurring just two weeks before her informing law enforcement.

Alexander was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on Dec. 24 and booked into Bannock County Jail, where he is being held on a $500,000 bond.

Though Alexander has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty, Alexander could face up to life in prison.

He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Carol Tippi Jarman on Jan. 9.

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