A man who claims to be a Prophet for Jesus is back in the Blaine County Jail after he allegedly sent threatening emails to a former church acquaintance.
Thirty-year-old Christopher Pothier, who also faces a felony domestic battery charge for allegedly beating his girlfriend last April, was arraigned on a new count of misdemeanor telephone harassment, a charge that also covers electronic messages, Tuesday afternoon in Blaine County 5th District Court.
"I'll be honest with you," Judge Robert J. Elgee told Pothier, "I get the impression that you're dangerous."
In another development, Pothier's former girlfriend has notified the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney's Office that she would like the felony battery charged dismissed against Pothier.
"I am begging you to dismiss this case," the 27-year-old Blaine County woman wrote in a letter earlier this month to Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matt Fredback.
"No dismissal," Fredback told the Idaho Mountain Express.
Pothier's former girlfriend testified against him at a preliminary hearing on July 1, when she said that Pothier beat her on April 22 while the couple was driving from Twin Falls to the Wood River Valley.
She said then that Pothier "punched me in the lower left jaw" and inflicted other injuries to "let the demons come out."
The woman wrote in her letter to Fredback that she was on "anti-anxiety meds at the time, which tend to alter one's state of mind."
"The truth is, I did feel a little pressure in pressing the charges against him," the woman wrote.
This is the second time the woman has attempted to recant testimony or statements against Pothier. Last summer Pothier was charged with five felonies against the same woman, but the charges were dismissed after she informed the prosecuting attorney's office that she would not testify against him.
Those charges included rape, first-degree kidnapping, battery, destruction of evidence and "forcible sexual penetration by use of a foreign object."
The latest charge against Pothier involves emails he allegedly sent to the former acquaintance that were intended to "annoy, terrify, threaten, harass or offend."
"If I was the victim and you sent that to me I'd be very concerned," Elgee told the defendant.
The charge was filed against Pothier last week. The Prosecuting Attorney's Office on Thursday filed a motion seeking revocation of Pothier's $80,000 bond on the pending battery charge. The motion was granted and a warrant was issued for Pothier's arrest.
He voluntarily surrendered Monday at the Blaine County Jail.
"I think these charges were filed as a direct consequence of the victim recanting her testimony," Public Defender Douglas Werth told the court.
Fredback briefly discussed Pothier's former girlfriend's request for dismissal of the battery charge.
"In regards to that, obviously it's not the state's job to honor the wishes of the victim," Fredback said. "We decided to go forward with it."
Fredback requested that bond on the battery charge be reset at $150,000.
"Even when out on bond he continues to threaten and harass people," Fredback said.
Elgee granted Fredback's request, but only until 5 p.m. today, at which time the $80,000 bond goes back into effect.
Melissa Roemer, an agent for Hometown Bail Bonds in Hailey, told the Idaho Mountain Express following the hearing that she will reinstate the $80,000 bond after 5 p.m. today and said further that she will post a $5,000 bond on the new telephone harassment charge.
Elgee told Pothier that he will raise bond as high as "$50 million" if any other charges are brought against him.
"I don't play games when it comes to these things," Elgee said.
Christopher Pothier
