Former teacher gets probation for sexually assaulting young child
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IDAHO FALLS — A former Hillcrest high school teacher has been sentenced after sexually assaulting a 5 to 6-year-old child in Canyon County.
Matthew Felshaw, 44, was sentenced by District Judge Davis VanderVelde on Wednesday, April 3, to between two years and 10 years in prison for felony injury to a child.
Vandervelde then suspended the sentence, placing Felshaw on probation for eight years. If he violates his probation, he will be given credit for the 265 days he has already served in Canyon County jail.
Conditions of his probation include that he must register as a sex offender and pay at least $245.50 in court costs and restitution.
EastIdahoNews.com reached out to the Canyon County Prosecutor’s office for clarification on why he received probation but did not receive a response.
Felshaw was charged in July with one count of felony lewd and lascivious conduct with a child under 16.
He originally pleaded not guilty but later accepted a plea agreement in which he agreed to plead guilty to an amended charge of felony injury to a child, and the prosecution agreed to recommend a minimum of two years and a maximum of 10 years in prison at sentencing.
Background
The affidavit of probable cause is not available, so little detail is known.
According to an amended indictment filed on Oct. 10, Felshaw had “oral to genital contact” with a child who was 5 or 6 years old in Canyon County between Jan. 1, 2018 and Oct. 21, 2018.
Felshaw taught at Hillcrest High School in Idaho Falls beginning in 2019 before his resignation in 2023. Before that, he taught in the Notus School District in Canyon County for five years.
In a statement to EastIdahoNews.com in July, Bonneville School District 93 Superintendent Scott Woolstenhulme said the district has not been provided with any additional details about the criminal activity.
“However, we have no reason to believe that the charges against Mr. Felshaw are related in any way to his employment with Bonneville School District,” Woolstenhulme said. “Whenever we have reason to believe that a certified employee has violated the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators, we report the conduct to the Professional Standards Commission to investigate and make a determination regarding the employee’s teaching certificate. In the interim, Mr. Felshaw will not be resuming teaching responsibilities with Bonneville Joint School District.”