Man charged after handing deputy bizarre letter and refusing to register as a sex offender
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UPDATE
Daniel Michael Lloyd, 45, was placed on four years of probation by District Judge Bruce Pickett after pleading guilty to felony failure to register as a sex offender. Lloyd was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.
A one to four-year prison sentence was suspended when Pickett opted to place Lloyd on probation. If Lloyd is not successful on probation, he could be ordered to serve that sentence.
ORIGINAL STORY
IDAHO FALLS — Deputies recently checked up on a sex offender to ensure he had registered on the sex offender registry.
That’s when they found themselves in an unusual situation.
A Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputy went in January to the last known address of Daniel Michael Lloyd, 45, living near Ammon Road and 1st Street. Lloyd is reported to have last registered as a sex offender in March 2019 for a 2009 child sex abuse conviction in Bannock County. Idaho Law requires sex offenders to update their registration annually, which is compiled by the Idaho State Police.
As the deputy went up to the house, they noted it as being unkept with no one answering the door. A neighbor did say, however, a man did live in the house and they heard his voice at night.
Deputies followed up weeks later and saw footprints in the snow of the house. After knocking on the door Lloyd answered, handed over a small envelope labeled “POLICE” then quickly shut the door.
“FOR NOT HEEDING TO MY LETTERS AND EMAILS, LIKE YOU ARE TOO IMPORTANT! HAVE THAT FOX TO SEND HIS SWAT TEAM WITH HIM LEADING FOR ALL I CARE! SO, I CAN WELCOM (sic) THEM WITH FRIENDLY FIRES OUT OF MY MOUTH OR SET A COURT DATE FOR MY ROYAL APPEARANCE DONT FORGET THE INTERPRETER BECAUSE IM STILL DEAF (###) ###-#### IT AN RELAY SERVICE FOR THE DEAF, USE IT, AND LEAVE A MESSAGE IF NEEDED,” the letter inside the envelope read.
Confused, the deputy knocked on the door again and communicated with Lloyd using a notepad. The deputy wrote about needing to register or Lloyd could be committing a crime. According to court documents, the man showed a letter from the ISP and said he would send in the required paperwork.
The deputy went back and checked with a supervisor, and believing Lloyd rarely left his home, law enforcement would give him a little time to register and check back in later. The deputy also thought he would write a letter to Lloyd explaining the rules and handed over the letter in February.
“I had learned over the course of this investigation that Daniel had sent letters to the judge in his case, (Judge Robert Naftz),” the deputy writes in the probable cause. “These letters are rambling in nature speaking of the audacity of the court to expect him to register, speaking in religious terms, speaking of God, Hell and the Devil.”
After realizing Lloyd would not be registering, deputies asked the Bonneville County Prosecutors’ Office to charge him with felony failure to register as a sex offender. Charges were filed on March 11 and he was arrested.
Lloyd is expected to make his initial court appearance Thursday afternoon in Bonneville County where a judge will set his bail.
Although Lloyd is charged with a crime (for failing to register) it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
If convicted of the felony charge, Lloyd could be ordered to spend up to 10-years in prison and pay a $5,000 fine.