41-Year-Old Canadian charged with felony child enticement of a child following undercover ICAC investigation
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A Canadian truck driver is facing felony charges of enticing a child over the internet following an undercover sting operation by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Attorney General Raúl Labrador announced Monday that 41-year-old Kelly Maier was taken into custody in Idaho Falls following a joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
Case Background
The investigation began on December 8, when an ICAC investigator posing as a teenage girl created a new profile on an online chat application, where "she" was contacted by Maier. Under the guise of the teenage girl, the detective continued to message back and forth with Maier, at one point asking the man, "Would u be mad if I'm not 18?" Documents state that Maier responded by asking how old the fake girl was, to which the detective responded, "14, but super mature for my age."
Maier allegedly continued the message back and forth with the undercover detective, eventually moving the chat to a secondary messaging app under the username "KM." As the conversation progressed over several days, Maier allegedly sent explicit messages and photos taken from inside his truck. In exchange, the detective sent a doctored image of a woman posing as a teenage girl, often used by law enforcement to investigate internet crimes against children, according to court docs.
Investigators state that Maier repeatedly suggested a physical meeting as he traveled through Idaho Falls, at one point acknowledging the age gap could get him in trouble but assuring the undercover officer they would "behave." Maier continued to make several references to sexual activity and offered to meet the minor at a local truck stop. At one point, Maier assured the fake girl he'd use a condom so she didn't get pregnant and made references to "her" virginity.
Law enforcement moved in to arrest Maier on the night of December 17 at a Love’s Truck Stop after he agreed to meet the undercover detective there. In interviews with police, Maier reportedly admitted that he knew he was chatting with a 14-year-old but claimed he only intended to "wish her a Merry Christmas" and provide emotional support. When confronted with the sexual nature of his messages, Maier allegedly told investigators he wrote them in the "heat of the moment" but never intended to act on them.
Maier was booked into the Bonneville County Jail on felony charges. His Preliminary hearing has been set for Dec. 31, 2025
Strong Partnerships and Protecting Idaho's Children
Attorney General Labrador credited the arrest to the seamless coordination between agencies in Madison County, Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, and Pocatello. He emphasized that these partnerships are vital for removing predators from Idaho streets and ensuring the safety of children throughout the state.
"Thanks to the strong partnerships we've built with law enforcement across Idaho, individuals like this are being arrested for these terrible crimes against children and families," said Attorney General Labrador. "Madison County, Idaho Falls, Bonneville County, and Pocatello all worked together to make this arrest happen. When agencies coordinate like this, those who threaten our kids get removed from our streets. I am grateful for these partnerships and the commitment every officer brings to protecting Idaho's children."
Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678. For more information, click HERE.
