Two time convicted sex offender sentenced to jail and probation - East Idaho News
Idaho Falls

Two time convicted sex offender sentenced to jail and probation

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IDAHO FALLS — A local man was given probation after being convicted of a second sex crime on Monday.

Travis C. Nelson, 43, was sentenced to a prison term of three to 15 years during a hearing at the Bonneville County Court House. In lieu of imposing the prison term, District Judge Joel Tingey ordered Nelson served 150 days in local jail and that he be placed on probation afterward for ten years.

Nelson, for the second time in his life, was added to the sex offender registry.

Court records show that in 1992 Nelson pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a child under 16, as an result Nelson served four of probation and was placed on the sex offender registry.

In January, Nelson was charged with felony child sexual abuse of a minor and felony sexual battery of a minor.

On June 6, Nelson pleaded guilty to one felony count of sexual abuse of a minor that is younger than 16. As part of a plea agreement the second charge, felony sexual battery of a minor ages 16 or 17, was dismissed by prosecutors.

Court documents show Nelson was with two teenagers at his home on Dec. 29. He allegedly told the girls they should play a game “as if they were at a bar and he was going to ‘hit on them.’”

Nelson is said to have given the teens a shot of liquor and touched both of them in “inappropriate areas”.

A short time later, court documents state, Nelson wanted to go to the store for more alcohol, but he asked for a kiss from one of the teens before leaving.

“(The first victim) stated Travis became upset and eventually pulled (the second victim) into his bedroom and pinned her against the wall and was trying to kiss her. A short while later…(the girls) were going to go downstairs to sleep and he said he wanted (them) to sleep with him and they told him no,” the documents state.

Court documents show one of the girls texted her mother with concerns about the nights events. The mother then picked both teenagers up from Nelson’s home. When she arrived, documents state “they were both crying and visibly shaking.”

A deputy with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Nelson the next day. He told the detective he believed he “blacked out” because all he remembered was playing games with the group of kids.

Court documents said Nelson never denied doing anything sexual to the girls, but he couldn’t remember what had transpired the night before.

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