Several hearings for violent or sexual crimes postponed

POCATELLO – Three preliminary hearings scheduled for this week have been postponed.

Joshua Everett Hancock, 38, of Montana, is charged with sexual abuse of a minor; his court appearance was scheduled for Tuesday morning. Jason Earnest Stark, 38, of Utah, is charged with four counts of solicitation of sexual abuse of a child, two counts of sexual abuse of a minor, attempted sexual exploitation of a child and witnessing a child sexually abuse a child; his court appearance was scheduled for Monday. Bill Montgomery Green, 19, of Blackfoot, is charged with two counts of rape, sexual abuse of a minor and incest; his court appearance was also scheduled for Tuesday.

All three hearings were cancelled and rescheduled for a later date.

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Hancock was charged in March following an investigation into the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl.

The victim told Bannock County Sheriff’s officials that Hancock gave her alcohol. Once she was drunk, Hancock offered her a ride home. During that time, she said, he raped her.

His preliminary hearing on Tuesday before Judge David Penrod was cancelled because he has not yet found a defense attorney. His preliminary hearing is now scheduled for July 2 before Penrod.

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Stark was charged in April following a months-long investigation into numerous alleged sexual assaults on at least seven underage boys.

He is accused of befriending the boys and then taking the victims to a secluded grassy area near the railroad tracks in Pocatello to view pornography. Over time, the victims say, Stark sexually abused the boys.

His preliminary hearing was cancelled because his defense attorney continues to work toward a contentious hearing, according to prosecutor Erin Tognetti, which is now set for June 24 before Judge Carol Tippi Jarman.

RELATED | Blackfoot man charged after alleged sexual assault of minor family member

Green is accused of having sex with a 14-year-old family member. He was charged in May after the family member’s father reported the sexual abuse to Pocatello police.

According to police reports, his DNA was found on swabs taken by a nurse while examining the victim, and the victim’s DNA was found on swabs taken from Green. His pretrial, like Stark’s, has been postponed as his defense attorney continues to seek evidence and witnesses.

He is now scheduled to appear before Jarman for a preliminary hearing on June 17.

Other cases delayed or rejected

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Burke Ryan Bailey, 47, of Pocatello, faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with an alleged stabbing attack in 2022.

After reaching a plea agreement and pleading guilty to aggravated assault, Bailey withdrew his guilty plea when District Judge Javier Gabiola informed Bailey that he would not comply with the sentence contained in the agreement and recommended in a pre-sentencing agreement.

He was supposed to have changed his confession again and been sentenced on Monday. But according to prosecutor Jonathan Radford, the case was postponed to a jury trial on July 16.

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Analisa Rae Diaz, 19, of Chubbuck, is scheduled to be sentenced by District Judge Rick Carnaroli on July 8 after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated assault.

Since pleading guilty, however, Diaz has been arrested for first-degree stalking and intimidation or obstruction of a witness.

Diaz was charged in May after she allegedly followed the victim in the previous indictment and a witness near Pine Ridge Mall in Chubbuck and made threats to them. She is accused of threatening violence against the victim, the witness and the witness’ children.

She was due to appear before Jarman on Monday, but the date was postponed because the victim is abroad. The date has been rescheduled for June 10.

RELATED | American Falls man charged with alleged sexual assault of child in 2018

Jesus Perez-Yepez, 37, of American Falls, is charged with lewd conduct with a minor after allegedly sexually abusing a then nine-year-old girl in 2018.

The victim told police that Perez-Yepez often invited neighborhood children to his home to play with his own children. She said that while she was there, Perez-Yepez touched her sexually on more than one occasion. Perez-Yepez allegedly told police that he did touch the girl, but over her clothing and that he was “just playing.”

The case was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 29, but that hearing was overturned and the charges dismissed without prejudice. EastIdahoNews.com reached out to Power County Prosecutor Brock Bischoff for comment on the dismissal of the charges, but did not receive a response.

However, a new case was filed with the same charges. The only difference found upon reviewing the documents is that the original case listed May 1, 2018 as the date of the crime, while the new case lists August 31, 2018 as the date of the crime.