Jefferson Alexander Caisahuana Torres, 25, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced last week to three years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to felony injury to a child, a charge that replaced his earlier felony charge of rape of a minor.
Fifth District Judge Mitchell Brown, standing in for Judge Ned Williamson, imposed the sentence on Sept. 15 following a plea agreement reached in June. As part of the agreement, Caisahuana Torres received a suspended five-year prison term, including two years fixed and three years indeterminate, six months in county jail and a $5,000 fine, $4,500 of which was suspended. The judge also issued a three-year no-contact order protecting the victim.
Caisahuana Torres was first arrested in Hailey in February following a report from The Advocates, a Hailey domestic-violence and sexual-assault support nonprofit.
The case involved a teenaged girl who alleged that Caisahuana Torres had traveled to Ketchum in December to meet her and raped her in his vehicle. Officers cited messages and voice recordings sent by Caisahuana Torres that corroborated the minor’s account, and arrested Caisahuana Torres in Hailey following a monitored sting arranged by the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office.
At a June change-of-plea hearing, Caisahuana Torres agreed to plead guilty to the amended child-injury charge. Under the terms of his probation, Caisahuana Torres is barred from any association with minors, prohibited from accessing pornography and must have his internet activity monitored by his probation officer.
Caisahuana Torres, represented by State Public Defender Richard Roats, issued a brief apology for his “mistake” in court. Brown outlined discrepancies between the victim’s and defendant’s accounts, but also noted Caisahuana Torres’ limited criminal history and a presentence investigation report that found him to be at low risk of reoffending.