Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced the conviction of Anthony Calderon, a 27-year-old man from Bonneville County, who was found guilty of enticing a child over the internet. The trial, presided over by District Judge Alan Stephens, concluded on April 1, 2025.
The case stemmed from events in August 2023 when a 10-year-old girl in Attleboro, Massachusetts, communicated on Snapchat with an adult male using the name "Alex Davis." This individual requested the child to engage in lewd activities via FaceTime.
Attorney General Labrador stated, "Our Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit has a very clear mission – to remove child predators from our communities, and to protect vulnerable children from being victimized and exploited. I’m grateful for the diligence of the investigators and prosecutors, for the service of the jury, and for the courage of the victim and her family to come forward and speak out."
The victim’s mother reported the matter to the Attleboro Police Department. Detective Katelyn Hart traced "Alex Davis" to Bonneville County and involved Detective Jared Mendenhall from the Idaho Falls Police Department. Detective Mendenhall linked the suspect to Anthony Calderon through Snapchat, email addresses, IP addresses, and a cellphone IMEI number.
After his arrest, Calderon admitted during jail telephone calls to having a sexual conversation with a minor, claiming it was due to boredom and not arousal. He also stated he used fake names and images.
In court, the now 12-year-old victim testified about her attempt to deter inappropriate interactions by including her age in her Snapchat username. After two days of deliberation, the jury found Calderon guilty. He faces up to 15 years in prison, a maximum fine of $50,000, or both. Sentencing is set for May 28, 2025.
The prosecution team included Deputy Attorneys General Madison Allen and James Haws. The public is encouraged to report child exploitation to local authorities, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The ICAC Unit collaborates with the Idaho ICAC Task Force to prosecute internet-based child exploitation offenses. Further resources are available at the ICAC website, ICACIdaho.org.