New information has been released in a Blaine County felony sex case against a California professional photographer who is accused of lewd conduct with two Warm Springs underage sisters.
Christopher Scott Honeysett, a 42-year-old San Francisco artistic photographer, has been charged in Blaine County Magistrate Court with two counts of lewd conduct with a minor child, a criminal offense in Idaho that carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison.
Honeysett is accused of engaging in sex acts with the sisters, ages 14 and 15, the evening Aug. 9, on the roof of The Burger Grill on Main Street in downtown Ketchum.
Honeysett was in Ketchum at the time displaying his photographs at the Sun Valley Arts and Crafts festival. Blaine County court records state that the sisters were volunteers at the festival and were assisting Honeysett at his booth.
The new information on the alleged crimes is contained in a probable cause affidavit filed in the case by Ketchum police Detective Ken Martinez. The affidavit was earlier sealed and not available for public review. It has now been placed in Honeysett's court file with the names of the girls blanked out with a heavy black marker.
The affidavit alleges that Honeysett was previously acquainted with the older sister, who helped him at his photography booth last year. It says that the younger sister didn't meet him until Aug. 9.
Honeysett took the girls to a cocktail party at the conclusion of the festival on Aug. 9, but the girls stayed outside where "Chris had snuck them a plastic cup of wine," Martinez alleged in his affidavit.
From there the trio went to Atkinsons' Market in Ketchum where Honeysett purchased three six packs of Mike's Hard Lemonade and a bottle of Ravenswood Chardonay. The affidavit further alleges that Honeysett and the girls then ascended to the roof of The Burger Grill, where the alleged lewd conduct occurred.
The affidavit alleges that the older girl became upset during the alleged encounter and "freaked out and got mad and yelled at Chris."
"They then left the roof and headed towards Hailey where Chris's hotel was so that the girls could get cleaned up," the affidavit alleges.
On the way to Hailey, the girls' father called and Honeysett returned the girls to Ketchum. The affidavit does not say who the father telephoned or what was said in the conversation.
Later the girls told their parents what had allegedly occurred and the parents contacted the Ketchum Police Department. Honeysett was arrested and incarcerated in the Blaine County Jail.
He is currently free on $100,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, in Blaine County Magistrate Court.
Christopher Scott Honeysett
