Man arrested after allegedly having sexual relations with two underage girls
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IDAHO FALLS – Two separate investigations have led to the arrest of an Idaho Falls man accused of engaging in sexual relations with underage girls.
Lakotah Matthew Fox, 20, is charged with one felony count of lewd conduct with a child and one felony count of child sex abuse, according to court documents obtained by EastIdahoNews.com. If convicted, Fox could spend up to life in prison.
The first investigation
A 13-year-old girl and her mother contacted The Idaho Falls Police Department on Aug. 30 and said Fox had kissed the girl and touched above and underneath her clothing. She said she never told Fox no because she was scared of him, according to court documents.
The victim told police that sometime in September 2017 that Fox was staying in their home. He came into her bedroom and played video games with her, stopping to “cuddle,” on her bed, according to court documents. The victim was 12 years old at the time of the alleged sexual assault. She told investigators at some point Fox allegedly began to touch her and removed his and her pants. She said the sexual contact ended when her mother came home. The abuse occurred multiple times for about six months, she said.
Fox agreed to take a polygraph test on Dec. 20. Throughout the test, he said he did have sexual contact with the girl and claimed it was consensual, records show.
“He (Fox) said that he feels guilty because he ‘allowed this to happen,'” according to court documents.
The second investigation
On Jan. 21, the Idaho Falls police department responded to a home for a statutory rape complaint, according to court documents. When investigators arrived, they found the aunt of a 13-year-old girl who said Fox had engaged in sex with the girl several times in the past month.
When police spoke with the victim’s mother, she claimed her daughter was in love with Fox. She said the daughter would be opposed to talking with investigators. She also said she had spoken with detectives about Fox and her daughter having sex three months before the January incident, according to court documents.
Investigators searched the victim’s phone and found photos of Fox and the victim in various stages in undress and kissing, according to court documents.
In an interview with detectives, Fox said he believed the victim to be 17 years old and didn’t remember having sex with her but was drunk and did kiss her, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
According to court documents, the victim told Fox she was pregnant. The victim told detectives Fox agreed that the pregnancy was from the two of them having sex. However, Fox told investigators the child is actually from the victim’s boyfriend, and he knew that because of “timing.”
It was not confirmed if the 13-year-old victim was or is pregnant, according to court documents.
Fox also told investigators the victim’s aunt and uncle had allegedly broken into his house to confront him about the alleged sexual relations he was having with the victim. He says the aunt and uncle agreed not to press charges against him if he wouldn’t tell on them for breaking into his home.
After police investigated both incidents, Fox was arrested Feb. 14, according to court records. He has since been released on Pre-Trial Services. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Fox regarding both cases on March 1 before Magistrate Judge Kent W. Gauchay.