Man had nude photos of teenage girl he gave marijuana, investigators say
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IDAHO FALLS — Authorities arrested a Blackfoot man on probation after he had an alleged romantic relationship with a 14-year-old girl over Snapchat.
Andrew Ray Young, 33, is charged with five felony counts of possession of sexually exploitive material of a child and felony delivery of a controlled substance. According to an affidavit of probable cause, in December, the victim’s mother contacted the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office after discovering nude photographs were allegedly being exchanged.
In an interview with detectives, the victim said over the past year, she and Young had been communicating over Snapchat. Young developed a romantic relationship with the victim and a friendship with her mother. The victim and Young reportedly sent back and forth nude photographs.
At one point, the victim said Young even drove from his home in Blackfoot to the victim’s in Idaho Falls to bring her marijuana and meet up in person. The victim said she was too scared to meet Young in person and had him leave the weed and drug paraphilia at the end of her street.
The victim said she smoked the marijuana. When her mother found out, she allegedly confronted him over Facebook, to which Young reportedly responded he was helping the victim and that “cannabis is medical.”
According to court documents, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched Young’s house on Dec. 17, 2020. On his electronic devices, investigators found 38 nude photos of the victim saved in a gallery. Evidence confirmed Young had allegedly been communicating with the victim.
Only months before investigators began looking into Young for the sexual exploitation charge, District Judge Darren Simpson placed him on four years of probation. Young had pleaded guilty to felony unlawful discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle.
In that 2019 case, a woman entered Young’s home with a loaded handgun intending to kill him and herself. Isabelle Jolly proceeded to point the gun at Young while he lay on the couch, pulling the trigger. The gun did not fire and Young hit it out of Jolley’s hands before she ran outside. Young then picked up the gun himself, followed Jolley and fired several times as she drove away. A bullet hit Jolley in the leg.
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Since the shooting incident, Young has also been charged with felony malicious injury to property for a separate crime. He was not arrested but issued a summons and pleaded not guilty to the charge in October. He’s also had a couple of misdemeanor charges since being placed on probation.
Despite this, Young’s probation has not been revoked. Court records show he has pending hearings on all the cases.
Young is expected to make an initial appearance Friday afternoon in Bonneville County on the new charges. At this hearing, a judge will set bail and schedule a preliminary hearing.