Sentencing has been scheduled for Dec. 2 for an 18-year-old Bellevue man who pleaded guilty last week to three felony sex crimes.
Riley Michael Beck entered his guilty pleas on Oct. 7 before Judge Jonathan Brody in Blaine County 5th District Court. He pleaded guilty to three counts of enticing children through the Internet or other communications device.
By his pleading guilty, a jury trial scheduled to begin Tuesday was averted.
According to police reports, Beck was accused of illegal conduct with four girls, three age 14 and one age 12.
In exchange for the guilty pleas, four other felony and three misdemeanor charges were dismissed. Felony charges dismissed against Beck included two other counts of enticing children through the Internet or other communications device, one count of providing sexually exploitative materials to a child and one count of sexual abuse of a child by soliciting a minor under age 16 to participate in a sex act. Misdemeanor charges dismissed were two counts of disseminating material harmful to a minor and one count of violation of a no-contact order.
The charges against Beck were included in two separate criminal cases. The first was filed on Feb. 25 and the second on Aug. 18 when Beck was free on $5,000 bond on charges in the first case. Beck was rearrested when the second case was filed and bond was set at $100,000.
According to court records, Beck was released on his own recognizance after entering his guilty pleas on Oct. 7.
The cases against Beck were investigated by the Hailey Police Department and the Bellevue Marshal’s Office. According to police reports, Beck was accused of illegal conduct with four girls, three age 14 and one age 12.
Police reported earlier that Beck solicited the girls through the Internet or by cell phone to commit sex acts and had sent to some of them “inappropriate photographic images.”
According to court records, the case was assigned to Judge Brody, who normally presides in Minidoka County, because both Beck and some of the girls have parents who are employed by either Blaine County or a police agency in the county. For the same reason, the Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was assigned as special prosecutor.
Terry Smith: tsmith@mtexpress.com
