Undercover operation results in Idaho Falls man arrested, charged with child enticement
Published at | Updated at
BLACKFOOT — An undercover operation resulted in an Idaho Falls man being charged after he allegedly attempted to lure a teen to have sex with him.
According to court documents, the operation took place on Sept. 6 and was conducted by the Idaho Crimes Against Children Task Force.
A detective with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office used a fake profile to speak with a 66-year-old man, later identified as Tracy Cherry.
The profile was on a dating site called Taimi, which showed an undercover image of a teenage boy. According to its website, Taimi is a dating app for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Cherry began a conversation with the detective, which, according to the documents, was “very sexual in nature.”
The detective, using the profile, told Cherry he was 14, and Cherry responded that he was 66 and did not care.
The profile the detective used was later blocked, but another detective had been messaging with Cherry.
The document states that the other detective messaged Cherry with the other account and told him he was speaking with him. The original detective took over the conversation.
Cherry messaged the detective an explicit and sexual message moments later. The detective told Cherry that his father was working at the fair and that he was at a motel by himself, but he needed to shower.
Cherry said he could come over so they could “shower together.” Cherry later sent a photo of his genitalia.
The detective asked Cherry if he was okay with the age difference, and the man responded that he was.
The documents state that a photo of Cherry was taken from the dating site and that detectives learned he was living in Idaho Falls.
The detective asked what kind of vehicle Cherry drove and received a photo of a red Chevy Blazer. A search of those who owned a vehicle like that turned up one registered to Cherry at the same address.
Later that night, the detective sent multiple messages to Cherry, but did not get a response, and he did not show up.
The detective had a deputy drive past the home and was told the vehicle was there.
An arrest warrant was requested and served on Oct. 7.
Cherry was charged with one felony count of enticing a child over the internet.
He is scheduled for an arraignment before District Judge Darren Simpson at 1 p.m. on Nov. 10.
Though Cherry has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty. If he is found guilty, he faces up to 15 years in prison.