Ammon man sentenced to 10 years probation after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse

IDAHO FALLS — A local man has been sentenced to 180 days in jail and felony probation after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse.

Tytus Domitry Nowakowski, 26, was arrested in Febuary 2025 and later charged with one felony count of lewd conduct of a minor after the victim filed a report with the Idaho Falls Police Department. The young woman stated that she and Nowakowski had been in a relationship from the time she was 15 years old until she turned 18.

Court documents say the two met on Snapchat after she reached out to Nowakowski. The woman stated she had made her age known to Nowakowski but claimed he told her he wasn’t interested in a relationship, only in “other things.”

Nowakowski was 19 when he was first contacted by the 15-year-old, according to the documents.

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Under a plea agreement signed in March, the charge of lewd conduct was amended to child sexual abuse. The agreement also recommended a sentence of 10 years’ probation and included an underlying sentence of five years fixed and 10 years indeterminate. The agreement was nonbinding.

In sentencing, Nowakowski on Thursday, 7th District Judge Amanda Ulrich mostly followed the terms of the agreement. But she added a requirement that he serve 180 days in jail, requiring him to turn himself in at the Bonneville County Jail by 5 p.m. that day.

Other conditions of his probation include a 180-day period of discretionary jail time, which may be used as needed at his probation officer’s discretion; completion of 100 hours of community service; and assignment to work release.

Nowakowski will also be required to complete sex offender treatment, undergo routine polygraph tests and urinary analysis, and maintain full-time employment at an establishment not frequented by underage women. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

“Regardless of whatever was suggested by the victim, you were the adult in that situation, and she could not consent,” Ulrich told Nowakowski. “In those situations, you’re the one — as the adult, you have to set the boundaries.”

Communal victim blaming

During the sentencing, the victim was given a chance to offer a statement about how Nowakowski’s crime impacted her. She told the court how, as a minor, she had fallen for Nowakowski, knowing it was wrong.

“I was a child who believed she was in love,” the woman said.

She said when she was 18, she realized the situation wasn’t love, but that she was being groomed by Nowakowski. She attempted to move away from him, she said, and when she finally felt free, he appeared in her new apartment.

The woman also shared that when Nowakowski was arrested, instead of being supported by the community, some people made accusations against her and blamed her for his arrest.

“People blaming a child for what happened,” she said. “I was a child, I didn’t deserve that, and I don’t deserve this.”

Defense recommendation

When defense attorney Stephen Meikle addressed the court, he pointed out that the findings of Nowakowski’s psychosexual evaluation were that he is not a serial offender nor a pedophile. He said his client has learned from this incident.

Meikle said the findings of both the psychosexual evaluation and the court’s presentence investigation report recommend that Nowakowski complete sex offender treatment in the short term. Discussing the letters of support for his client, the attorney said each one spoke highly of the man and of his active efforts to be a model citizen.

“His father’s witnessed him consistently, willing to help others, treat people with respect, make a sincere effort to do what’s right,” Meikle said.

Given that Nowakowski is willing to attend treatment and comply with the court, Meikle recommended that his client be sentenced to probation and allowed to go on work release.

Prosecution’s recommendation

Representing the state, Bonneville County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Lou Harris agreed that, based on the evaluations and reports, there are many positives for Nowakowski. He is listed at a moderate risk to re-offend, and given his age and the family support he has, he has the ability to continue on with his life without being a danger to society.

However, Harris pointed out that one of the pressing issues given in the psychosexual evaluation was Nawakowski’s continual blaming of the victim. “(He) places blame for his offending on his victim, (and) lacks full understanding of the harmfulness of his behavior that resulted in his charges,” the prosecutor said.

Harris also said the psychosexual evaluation recommends that Nowakowski receive mental health and substance abuse treatment, despite his denying that he needs it.

Overall, Harris recommended that the judge follow the recommendations outlined in the plea agreement and extend the no-contact order Nowakowski has with the victim for another 25 years. He also recommended that Nowakowski work in an area not frequented by underage girls.

‘A life lesson that I’ll never forget’

Nowakowski was also given the opportunity to address the court.

He said he is “sincerely sorry to (the victim), society, my family, everyone that I’ve let down, and I take full accountability for my actions. This will be a life lesson that I’ll never forget.”

“I’ll learn from (it),” he continued. “I’ll try to do better and change, and I’ll do anything I can to strive to be a model, and people could look towards me as a good person.”

Ulrich’s sentencing

Looking at Idaho Code 19-2521, which sets forth the criteria for placing a defendant on probation or imposing a prison sentence, Ulrich found that the facts of this case align with a sentence of probation — as it would keep Nowakowski out of situations where he would be tempted to commit the same crime again.

When it comes to treatment, Ulrich said the law favors probation because it will allow Nowakowski to get sex offender treatment and other assistance he needs.

However, regarding the actual charge, Ulrich said a sentence of probation would lessen the seriousness of the offense for which Nowakowski pleaded guilty. She pointed out that there is also a victim and that harm was caused by Nowakowski’s actions.

Still, the judge said that all evaluations and reports, and the fact that this is Nowakowski’s first felony, point to the appropriateness of a sentence imposing community supervision with restrictions.

Nowakowski’s family was in attendance in the courtroom, filling half of the seats available. After the sentencing, parents, uncles and aunts came up to Nowakowski, giving words of encouragement.