Bonneville County man found guilty of sexually enticing a child online

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - A Bonneville County man is facing up to 15 years in state prison and a $50,000 fine after being found guilty of enticing a child on the internet.

In August 2023, 27-year-old Anthony Calderon of Ammon, using the pseudonym "Alex Davis," engaged in a Snapchat conversation with a 10-year-old girl from Attleboro, Massachusetts. According to court records, Calderon asked the victim to engage in and watch lewd acts via FaceTime.

The 10-year-old victim's mother reported the conversation to her local Police Department. According to the Idaho Attorney General's office, Detactive Katelyn Hart of the Attleboro Police tracked the individual known as "Alex Davis" to Bonneville County and referred the investigation to Detectives with the Idaho Falls Police Department.

“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,” said Attorney General Raúl Labrador.

“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.” 

Detective Jared Mendenhall with IFPD connected the account used by "Alex Davis" to Anthony Calderon via the Snapchat account, email address, IP address, and the IMEI number from a cellphone Calderon used for work, according to the AG's Office.

According to the Attorney General's office, following his arrest, the 27-year-old admitted on jail telephone calls that he had a sexual conversation with a minor, but claimed he did it out of boredom rather than for arousal. Calderon also assured a family member that he never used his real name or real pictures, says the AG's Office.

During the two-day trial, the now 12-year-old victim shared her story, testifying that she had put her age in her screen name on Snapchat to "keep the creeps away," according to the AG's office.

Calderon was found guilty by a jury of enticing a child on the internet. The 27-year-old now faces a maximum of 15 years in state prison, a $50,000 fine, or both.

The prosecution was led by Deputy Attorney General Madison Allen, joined by Deputy Attorney General James Haws, according to the AG's Office.

The sentencing is scheduled for May 28, 2025.

For more information on the ICAC Task Force, or for helpful resources for parents or educators, click HERE.