Trial date set for Pocatello man charged with lewd conduct with a 9-year-old
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POCATELLO — A man accused of lewd conduct with a minor is scheduled to stand trial in June.
Dean Stewart Anderson, 39, was charged with two counts of lewd conduct with a minor following his arrest in 2021, court records show.
Dec. 4, 2020
Pocatello police received a call from a Child Protective Services (CPS) contractor, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The contractor requested police assistance checking on the welfare of a nine-year-old.
According to the affidavit, CPS was notified of a possible sexual assault after a classmate of the victim alerted their parents.
The victim told their classmate that Anderson had inappropriately touched them. When the classmate told their parents, the parents immediately the school, who then called CPS.
While investigating, officers learned Anderson was a registered sex offender. Police reports show he had been charged with second-degree child molestation in Washington state in 2016.
Officers first spoke with the child’s mother, informing her of the accusation. The mother then allowed officers and the CPS contractor to speak with the child.
Asked if they had been touched inappropriately, the child said they had. Asked where Anderson had touched them, the child responded, “my private areas.” The child then told officers that Anderson had asked them to touch his “private areas,” the affidavit says.
The officer asked the child why they never said anything to their mother or another adult. The child said that they were afraid to get into trouble, according to the affidavit.
The child was scheduled for a forensic interview with a child advocacy group and a medical examination.
Dec. 8, 2020
Officers and a CPS investigator watched as the victim was being interviewed by a child advocate.
The victim said Anderson had forced them to perform oral sex on him on numerous occasions, the affidavit says. The victim also described pornographic videos Anderson would show them.
Among the pornographic images the victim said Anderson showed them were nude pictures of his child.
The victim was then taken to Portneuf Medical Center for a sexual assault examination.
Following the interview and examination, the mother took her children out of state “to get away from Anderson,” the affidavit says.
Dec. 9, 2020
Officers performed a traffic stop on Anderson shortly after he left his home and took him to Pocatello Police Department for questioning.
During questioning, Anderson denied ever having sexual contact with the victim, the affidavit says. While he was being questioned, officers searched his truck — with a signed search warrant.
Police reports show 12 “items of evidence” were seized from the truck for biological testing.
Anderson was taken to Bannock County Jail and booked.
Though Anderson 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, Anderson could face up to life in prison.
He is scheduled for a jury trial before District Judge Robert Naftz on June 13.