Wednesday, May 14, 2025
48.0°F

Kootenai man charged with lewd conduct

KEITH KINNAIRD | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 4 years, 7 months AGO
by KEITH KINNAIRD
News Editor | October 8, 2020 1:00 AM

SANDPOINT — A Kootenai man made an initial appearance Monday on three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor.

The allegations against Tyler John Christianson were disclosed to the alleged victim's counselor in Montana, who reported them to authorities in Idaho, court records indicate.

The alleged victim, 15, said the misconduct began with a game of Truth or Dare, progressed to questions about sex and culminated with a sexual assault, according to a probable cause affidavit. Christianson is accused of touching the girl's genitals in 2017 and forcing her to perform oral sex in 2017, a criminal complaint alleges.

The teen told investigators that Christianson molested her in Deer Park, Wash., and at a home on Baldy Mountain. The teen said Christianson would roughhouse with her in order to touch her inappropriately, the affidavit said.

The teen told sheriff's officials that Christianson vowed to have sex with the teen, a threat she believes Chritianson would have made good on had his housing arrangements not gotten in the way, according to the affidavit. She further alleged that Christianson threatened to disclose the abuse and blame the misconduct on her and seemed proud of his actions, the affidavit said.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for Wednesday.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com or followed on Twitter at @KeithDailyBee.

MORE LOCAL-NEWS STORIES

Lewd conduct suspect pleads not guilty
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 4 years, 6 months ago
Man charged with lewd conduct, sex abuse
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 6 years, 4 months ago
Plea hearing set in lewd conduct case
Bonner County Daily Bee | Updated 6 years ago

ARTICLES BY KEITH KINNAIRD

March 7, 2010 11 p.m.

Revett seeks clarity on Rock Creek mine status

A status conference is pending in federal court to determine if developers of the proposed Rock Creek mine can initiate development of the project.

December 31, 2008 11 p.m.

Former pastor imprisoned for touching young girl

SANDPOINT, Idaho — A district judge declined to go along with a plea agreement which proposed a limited jail sentence for a former pastor who pleaded guilty to fondling a Priest Lake girl several years ago.

Judge orders life sentence in Bristow murder
April 21, 2021 1 a.m.

Judge orders life sentence in Bristow murder

Acosta ordered to serve life in prison for Bristow killing