Man in jail for alleged sexual abuse of young girls in the early 2000s
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IDAHO FALLS — A Michigan man is behind bars after police say he sexually assaulted two young girls nearly two decades ago.
Karl Marvin Ford, 59, is charged with two felony counts of lewd conduct with a child under 16. According to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, Ford allegedly sexually assaulted a five and seven-year-old girl sometime between 2002 and 2004.
The Idaho Falls Police Department took a report from the now-adult victims and began following up in December 2020. Both victims described in graphic detail how they were molested and forced to perform sex acts with the man when they were young children.
The victims were not related to Ford, but court records show he had access to the children.
In the years since the alleged lewd conduct, Ford moved to Sparta, Michigan.
With the help of Idaho Falls Police detectives, one of the victims confronted Ford in a phone call in August. According to court records, when the victim accused Ford of sexual abuse, psychological abuse, rape and molestation, he did not deny the allegations.
In the 45 minute long phone call, Ford said he was sorry for assaulting the victim and “he did not know why he did it,” according to police reports.
In September, police asked that Ford be charged with lewd conduct and Idaho Falls Police said in a news release that a detective flew to Michigan to work with authorities in serving an arrest warrant on Oct. 1.
Police took Ford into custody and he was extradited and booked into the Bonneville County Jail Wednesday. He made his initial court appearance Thursday afternoon.
Although Ford is accused of a crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A preliminary hearing for Ford is scheduled for Dec. 1 at the Bonneville County Courthouse.