Bannock Sheriff’s deputy charged with sex crime involving 16-year-old girl

POCATELLO — A Bannock County Sheriff’s deputy has been put on leave after he was charged with felonies for sexual battery on a minor.

Trevor Aaron Ranere, 26, faces two counts of sexual battery on a minor, court records show.

Bannock County Sheriff’s deputies received a report of an alleged sexual battery involving a 16-year-old victim on Feb. 28, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

The victim and her mother told Bingham County deputies that she was at an assisted living facility in Downey on Dec. 19 when she called the sheriff’s office to report a possible prowler in the area. Ranere, who was on duty as a patrol deputy, responded to the call.

While investigating the reported prowler, the victim told investigating detectives, Ranere asked “weird” questions about her personal and romantic life. After completing his report, Ranere invited the girl for a ride-along, she told detectives.

During the ride-along, Ranere allegedly pushed buttons inside his patrol vehicle before telling the victim he turned off all of his cameras. He then put a piece of paper over his dash lights, the affidavit says.

Ranere told the girl all the recorded audio would be erased after three days, she said, then attempted to kiss her and put his hand on her thigh. She deterred his advance by saying the two should be friends on Snapchat, according to the affidavit. Ranere responded by taking the victim’s phone and adding himself to her friend list.

The next day, Ranere contacted the girl via Snapchat and requested she meet him at the Walmart in Chubbuck, the girl said. According to the affidavit, when the girl said she did not want to meet, Ranere threatened to tell her parents about illegal activities she allegedly confessed to during Ranere’s “weird” questioning the previous day.

She told detectives that she met Ranere at Walmart, and the two got into his truck and drove to a location unknown to her.

Once there, she said, Ranere unzipped her pants and told her to undress. She refused and said she needed to leave. Ranere, she said, touched her sexually, but she was able to stop him.

During an interview with a child therapist, the victim said she felt like she was “being groomed by a cop,” the affidavit says. She said that Ranere asked her about her dating life, then said that “teenage boys don’t know how to treat girls.” He also told her she was “mature for her age. Mentally and physically.”

At one point during the drive, the victim said, Ranere told her she needed to help him “be a good boy” to “make sure nothing happened.”

While again trying to force himself onto her, the victim said, Ranere told her, “Let me show you what I mean when I said boys don’t know how to treat girls.”

He was aware of her age as the two had discussed their age difference, the victim said in the interview.

After they completed their questioning of the victim, detectives received a statement from an attorney hired to represent Ranere.

In his statement, according to the affidavit, Ranere says he did respond to a call at the assisted living home in Downey around the time of the reported incident. After he concluded his report, he said, the victim asked to speak with him, so the two met at a church in Downey, where they discussed her alleged interest in becoming a police officer.

Ranere said he assumed she was a college student, as she said she was working at the facility as a nurse.

After chatting with the victim, Ranere said, he left. Then, he received a notification that the victim added him on Snapchat, so he reciprocated. For the following week, according to the statement, the victim asked Ranere to come with him on a ride-along.

Finally, the statement continues, Ranere agreed to meet with her to chat while he ate his dinner.

After the two talked over his dinner, Ranere said, he asked her to exit from his vehicle so he could continue his patrol, but she refused. At one point, according to the statement, the victim began yelling at him. He said he felt she was interested in forming a romantic relationship with him, but that he did not want that.

“Deputy Ranere was made aware of the sexual battery allegations by his attorney,” the affidavit says. “Deputy Ranere said he did not have any physical contact with (the victim) during either interaction with her.”

He said he turned down “dozens” of requests for sex with the victim and eventually removed her from his friends on Snapchat.

Detectives obtained video surveillance from Walmart which shows the victim’s vehicle and a Bannock County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle enter the parking lot on the night of Dec. 20 — not a week later, as described by Ranere.

Detectives have also obtained search warrants for Snapchat accounts belonging to both the victim and Ranere.

Bannock County Sheriff Tony Manu held a news conference to inform the public of the charges Wednesday morning. From a conference room inside the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Manu explained his office was informed of the allegations against the deputy in February. The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office immediately placed Ranere on administrative leave and requested an investigation into the allegations to be done by the Bingham County Sheriff’s Office.

RELATED | Bannock County deputy charged with sexual battery of a minor

Manu could not say at this time whether Ranere remains on leave, and court documents do not indicate whether he is.

“This is a sad day for me, as sheriff, and for the men and women of this office who serve this community with dedication and honor every day,” Manu said. “This incident should not reflect on them and their good work. … We should not lose focus on the bravery of the young woman who came forward. It is not easy to report a crime of this nature, especially against a person in a position of authority. Her actions are commendable.”

Ranere was cited and issued a court summons in lieu of being arrested. He is scheduled for an arraignment hearing on July 10.

Though Ranere 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, Ranere could face up to 50 years in prison.