Local man sentenced on enticing charge

BONNERS FERRY — A local man was sentenced to 15 years, 10 years with 5 years indeterminate, after he pled guilty to three charges of child enticing two 12 year old girls on June 25. 

Ronald Thurmann Childers II, 31, pled guilty to three counts of enticing minor children over the internet and text messages. From 2022 to 2023 he shared sexual and explicit messages with 12 year old girls, and encouraged them to meet with him in private. 

As part of the plea agreement, one count of lewd conduct against Childers will be dismissed in exchange for the child enticement charge. Prior to the case, two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 had already been dismissed by the prosecutor. 

Boundary County Prosecutor, Andrakay Pluid, recommended a 10-year sentence with five years' imprisonment per each case. It was the recommendation of the Deputy Prosecutor Tevis Hull, who passed away in January, that the sentences run at the same time.

“The state strongly feels that [Childers] is a danger to the community and that probation is not appropriate,” Pluid said at sentencing. 

The mothers of both victims presented victim impact statements, noting the psychological and emotional damage both girls have experienced as a result of what Childers did. 

One mother said that in 2022 she was informed by her child that Childers had a sexual relationship with another 12 year old. In 2023, the mother found chat messages between her child and Childers, which exhibited grooming and exchanging of nude photos. 

She said Childers is a well-known predator and goes for young girls who have not lost their purity. She added that due to the case and the interactions between Childers and her daughter, her family has faced backlash by the local community and the subject of rumors. 

The woman asked that he be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, adding she believes that he will reoffend if given the opportunity. 

The second mother described her child’s personality change after engaging with Childers, saying her once-cheerful child had become depressed and suicidal. 

“Fourteen months later, she is healing,” the mother said. “She knows that until the day she dies she will have to relieve the event.” 

She also believes that he will reoffend and could become a serial offender. 

Pluid went through the timeline of events. In April 2023, Childers first contacted one of the girls via online messaging, arranging to meet her behind Safeway where he kissed the girl and later began exchanging explicit photos. Law enforcement was contacted May 8, 2023.

When it comes to the explicit behavior of the messages, Pluid said the behavior escalates over a period of hours, not days or even months.

Pluid argued that Childers escalated the explicit behavior every time by sexual language and graphic sexual photos. She added that the child responded with “yeah” or “okay,” rather than encouraging the graphic conversation. 

Childers made claims that he was drunk or under the influence of marijuana at the time of the text messages. Pluid argues that since these messages happened mid-morning and early afternoon, that the alleged intoxication is out of place for the time of day. 

Additionally, in his psycho-sexual evaluation, Childers said he rarely drank, except around holidays. 

Speaking in defense of Childers, Defense Attorney Catherine Enright claimed he was attracted to older “voluptuous women” and not young girls. 

District Judge Lamont C. Berecz noted that Childers was in a five-year relationship with a 30-year-old woman while he engaged in enticing the 12 year olds. 

Enright argued that at times the girls had also sent unsolicited explicit photos and messages. She argued that he could be rehabilitated and that probation would be appropriate for him and society could be protected if he had no access to the internet, by phone or computer, no contact with minors, marijuana or alcohol and if he received counseling. 

“His sex drive took the best of him,” she said.

Childers said he took full responsibility for his actions and that even under the influence he should have taken control and stopped the conversations. 

When giving his sentence, Berezc said his first goal is protecting society, particularly future young girls. 

“Society has to be protected  by you and the vulnerable need to be protected from you,” he said. “[....] The victims will be dealing with the fallout of these events and will be for a significant amount of their lives.” 

He ruled that Childers will receive a 15-year sentence with 10 years fixed and five years indeterminate on each charge of child enticement. However, the judge ruled the sentences will run at the same time.

Childers received 412 days credit for time served in one case, 414 days credit for time served in the second, and 313 days credit for time served for the third charge. 

 He is required to register as a sex offender.