Man sentenced to probation for having sex with 17-year-old
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IDAHO FALLS — A local man won’t spend any time in prison for sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl.
Johnnie Junior Huddleston, 24, was sentenced to 10 years of felony probation and will have to register as a sex offender. He had previously pleaded guilty to sexual battery of a minor as part of a plea agreement.
Bonneville County Chief Deputy Prosecutor John Dewey told EastIdahoNews.com that as part of the agreement, the prosecution and defense agreed to the felony probation recommended by Huddleston’s pre-sentencing investigation. Dewey said the victim and her family also approved of the felony probation recommendation.
Prosecutors argued for 10 years of probation, while defense attorneys argued for five years. District Judge Dane Watkins sentenced Huddleston to the full 10 years.
The case revolved around an incident in March 2018 where a friend of Huddleston and the victim observed them having sex in a car. While the victim initially claimed it was a forceful rape, the friend told police that there was no sign she was under duress. Huddleston claimed the sex was consensual and denied raping the victim. He also said he thought the victim was 19-years-old.
The incident was reported to police and Huddleston was arrested in August. He was charged with sexual battery of a minor since under Idaho law a minor cannot consent to sex with an adult.
In addition to the probation sentence, Huddleston also spent some 10 months in jail during the court proceedings.