Man arrested for alleged lewd conduct with a boy over 30 years ago
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IDAHO FALLS — A 45-year-old man has been charged for allegedly molesting an 8-year-old boy in 1995.
Christopher Scott Elder is facing two counts of felony lewd conduct with a child.
According to court documents, a man made a report to the Idaho Falls Police Department on Feb. 19, stating that “between the years of 1995 and 1997, he was raped and molested approximately 15 times by (Elder) at a residence in Idaho Falls.”
The victim stated he was between 8 and 9 years old during the alleged abuse, and Elder was 15 to 16 years old.
On March 1, the victim recorded a phone conversation where he discussed the abuse with Elder. According to police reports, Elder stated he was “molested by a Scout camp counselor; I didn’t know any better.”
The victim reminded Elder of the graphic details of the abuse, saying “What do you think this had, in my impact on my life?”
To which Elder reportedly replied, “Yeah.. It sucks. Like, I get it. I don’t, I don’t have any other answer for you. It eats me up. I think about it all the time in the sense that, you know, how it screwed us up, but I … I had to move on.”
Elder told the victim he “can’t make it right” stating there is “nothing I can do.”
The victim then told Elder, “You realize you raped me, that’s, that’s considered rape. I was raped as an 8-year-old boy.”
Elder then claimed they were “both children” and stated he is “not here to relive it.”
“I’m glad we had this conversation, I guess, you know, now you’re able to, that we had it, we talked about it, but yeah, I’m not, I, I, I’m not here to relive it with you,” said Elder according to court documents. “I can’t, I don’t know anything, I don’t know except for that I know it happened.”
A warrant for Elder’s arrest was issued on May 15. Elder was arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail on Tuesday with a $100,000 bail. He posted bond and was released the same day.
Elder is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on June 6. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
Though Elder has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.