Man who pleaded guilty to rape in Pocatello now faces child sex assault charge in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS — A 21-year-old Pocatello man who pleaded guilty to a rape charge in Bannock County is now facing lewd conduct charges in Bonneville County, stemming from an incident in 2021.
Taisen Lopez-Scharer was charged in March with one felony count of lewd conduct with a minor under sixteen. This charge carries the potential punishment of life in prison.
In Bannock County, the 21-year-old pleaded guilty in March to one count of felony rape as part of an agreement with prosecutors. In turn, they agreed to drop three other rape charges and dismiss a different case involving four felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse materials, or CSAM.
Lopez-Scharer is scheduled to be sentenced in Bannock County before District Judge Javier Gabiola at 2:30 p.m. on June 4.
The cases against Lopez-Scharer involved different victims.
Bonneville County sex assault accusation, criminal charge
According to a police booking affidavit, on June 29, 2021, officers with the Idaho Falls Police Department responded to a report of a sexual assault that had occurred involving an 8-year-old girl.
Lopez-Scharer was 16 at the time of this incident.
The affidavit says the girl told a family member that Lopez-Scharer had inappropriately touched her on separate occasions in a two-day period. The document goes on to state that the girl revealed that Lopez-Scharer told her not to tell anyone he had touched her in her “no-no parts.”
When Lopez-Scharer was confronted by the family of the girl, police say he initially denied having done anything to her. Later, after being told he’d have to take a lie detector test, the affidavit says he confessed to inappropriately touching the girl.
Court records show little progress in the case since it was initially reported.
In March 2025, the case was assigned to a new detective who made contact with the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center for records of a forensic interview with the victim. The 2021 interview, in which the victim discusses the incident and how Lopez-Scharer inappropriately touched her, was given to the detective.
In June 2025, records show the parents of the victim were contacted by the detective to set up another forensic interview, with the victim now much older.
While attempting to set up the interview, the detective reviewed Lopez-Scharer’s charges in Bannock County involving the rape and CSAM. The detective reported that the 21-year-old has a history of having sex with women who are much younger than him.
The detective’s review found that some of the documents discuss Lope-Scharer’s talking about the incident with the 8-year-old girl.
In August 2025, the victim underwent another forensic interview, in which she told the interviewer that Lopez-Scharer had raped her and that she attempted to push him away.
The detective did reach out to Lopez-Scharer about the incident but was told he’d only speak if a lawyer were present.
Lopez-Scharer is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Wiley Dennert at 1 p.m. on May 19.
Though Lopez-Scharer has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
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