Pocatello man charged after allegedly forcing sexual favors from pre-teen girl

POCATELLO — A man who allegedly forced a girl to perform sex acts on him, beginning when she was seven years old, faces a felony charge.

Edward Richard Rodriguez, 41, has been charged with one count of lewd conduct with a minor, court records show.

A woman contacted the Pocatello Police Department on April 14 to report that her daughter, 12, had informed her about being forced to make sexual contact with Rodriguez, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

The woman told police the sexual contact first occurred when the girl was seven and last occurred around six months prior, but that the child was vague and did not provide precise dates.

According to the affidavit, the girl had not reported the incidents prior because, she said, Rodriguez recorded a videos of the incidents and threatened to show it to the girl’s mom, which the girl believed would get her into trouble.

The woman told police that Rodriguez had since moved to Las Vegas.

Eleven days after the initial report was filed, the victim was interviewed by a child advocacy therapist with detectives present.

The girl told the therapist that sexual contact had occurred “for a long time,” police reports show. She said Rodriguez would say “weird, perverted things” but asked not to repeat them.

During the interview, police reports note, the interviewer noticed the victim was growing quieter and more uncomfortable, so the interview was ended with the offer for it to be continued should the girl ever be willing.

After several attempts, detectives with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spoke with Rodriguez over the phone on May 24. Detectives told Rodriguez they wanted to question him on behalf of Idaho law enforcement. Rodriguez said he would not speak with officers without an attorney present.

Records do not provide details regarding the interview or arrest, but do show a warrant for his arrest was issued in July.

He has been in police custody since Oct. 2 and is being held on a $100,000 bond.

Though Rodriguez has been charged with this crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty, Rodriguez could face life in prison.

He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Carol Tippi Jarman on Oct. 30.