Tifft sentenced 20 years in child sex abuse case
CHLOE COCHRAN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 months, 1 week AGO
Michael Tifft
Courtesy of BONNER COUNTY JAIL
SANDPOINT — A county resident guilty of sexually abusing a minor has been sentenced to serve 20 years in prison.
Micheal John Tifft, 32, pled guilty by Alford plea April 8 to one count of lewd conduct with a minor. As part of the plea agreement, the second count of the same charge was dropped. The charges stem from an abuse incident that occurred sometime between April 22, 2019, and April 21, 2020, in Oldtown.
Under an Alford plea, a defendant admits no wrongdoing but concedes that a guilty verdict could result following a trial. The plea is treated no differently at sentencing than a standard guilty plea.
Tifft was handed a 20-year prison sentence — seven years fixed and 13 years indeterminate. He will be given 357 days for time served.
A criminal complaint indicates that count one of lewd conduct with a minor was charged based on an allegation that Tifft engaged in oral to genital contact with the victim. Count two, which was dismissed as part of the plea deal, alleged that penetration took place.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Bonner County officials became aware of the abuse as a result of a 911 call received in April 2024.
Court documents indicate that the victim experienced one instance of abuse within the 2019-2020 timeline. According to a probable cause affidavit, the victim was woken up in the middle of the night by Tifft as he was sexually abusing the child.
Anyone who suspects sexual abuse should contact the Bonner County sexual abuse 24/7 helpline at 208-265-3586. For an alternate helpline, call 208-263-6714.
ARTICLES BY CHLOE COCHRAN
Neighbor creates GoFundMe page for fire victims
Several days after a structure fire burned down a family’s home, neighbors have rallied together to create a GoFundMe page for the family who were displaced from their home Tuesday evening.
County pauses PTO/CAT payout decision
Bonner County commissioners are pausing a decision to pay employees for hours accrued after their paid time off/catastrophic hours limit has been reached, following concerns raised by the county’s auditor's office that the financial proposal could prove costly.
Korn seated as new chair, fairgrounds accept utility payments
In one of its longer-standing meetings, Commissioner Ron Korn was approved to sit as the county’s new chairman, taking over eight months after Commissioner Brian Domke’s appointment to the seat.