Why Is George Jones Walking The Streets?
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Article Submitted by: George Jones Hater/Cal The Bumbling Idiot
KPVI reported convicted Sexual Offender George Jones was arrested yet again for attempting to peep on women in the restroom.
http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=8413700 (or watch theKPVI TV News Report)
Jones has close to 20 cases for this type of behavior. Click Here to see a list of offences. (You may have to refresh the page after visiting the link to get it to work)
Jones is on probation for these types of offenses. Since he was released from prison he has continued to attempt to peep on women in bathrooms. Jones was sent to prison in December 2003. He was released in 2007 and promptly returned to his ways. He was caught and sent to jail for 150 days in October 2007.
March 2008, he reoffends and somehow is out on low or no bond. He reoffends again 5/16/08. He is let out again. He reoffends again 6/1/08. He is released on a measley $300 bond (or 10% from what I am told…30 bucks). Why does he keep getting let out? Why aren’t the Courts protecting us from this creep. My two daughter’s were victimized by this jerk….do you want to wait until yours is next. Call Dane Watkins office at 529-1348 and demand they request a bail increase hearing and get him back behind bars where he belongs. This is the only way Jones is prevented from acting out. Don’t let him victimize your family!
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Comments
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0 
0 Mods, could you check your spam filters. I posted a lengthy comment here that got nuked as spam.
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0 0 In summary so you know which one it was:
I explained the legal loophole that Jones is exploiting. His behavior is disturbing but at times its not even illegal. You can complain to the police and Dane Watkins and the local courts all you want but many times their hands are tied simply because his behavior is either not illegal at all or barely so. Creepy for sure but you still have to break the law for the authorities to do something. The solution is to get the state legislature to close the legal loophole much as they did a few years back when another creep was doing bad stuff in Blackfoot. The new state law about video voyeurism arose out of that incident.
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0 0 I tried your link above and searched for George Jones cases in Bonneville County. Of course, there are several people with that name. Please clarify if this is the right one:
Is this guy mentally competant? The Jones I narrowed it down to at referenced site has cases for unlawful entry, speeding, driving on wrong side of road, indecent exposure, disturbing the peace, and then some.
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0 0 Sadly, this may be the type of guy who in 5 years does something really horrible. Or, perhaps he already is and it good at not being caught. Then, everyone joins the media circus and laments “oh why didn’t anyone do anything about him, where was the system failure here? The laws, the courts, the police, etc.”
I question his mental status too. Something seems really off here. He needs a full scale eval by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist.
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0 0 Aren’t there any repeat offender laws, like if a perp gets x number of misdemeanor public exposure/obsenity type charges it gets bumped up to a felony?
I can’t help but wonder if this is a case of incompetence in the courts or is this guy somehow protected by virtue of family or other ties?
Or because he is mentally incompetant or assumed so? What is his story? Where is he from? Any record in other states? Any juvenile record? Is he registered?
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0 0 The article provided via link above states:
“Officers with the Idaho Falls Police Department tracked down 53-year-old George Jones who is registered in the state as a violent sexual predator.
After being questioned, Jones was charged with trespassing. ”
I’m confused. My understanding from the discussion on City-data.com is that Idaho has 2 seperate classifications, 1. registered sex offenders and 2. Violent sexual offenders. This article says Jones is a Violent Sexual Offender, so how the heck does he get charged with just tresspassing???? Someone is NOT DOING THERE JOB! Whoever is responsible for this ridiculous failure should be fired!
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0 0 This is an excerpt of Torrie’s comments from the discussion at City-data:
So I took the time to ask an officer why Idaho appears to have so many sexual predators. First of all he said that there’s a legal term called “Violent Sexual Predator” which is for offenders who have been determined by a commission of professionals to present a higher risk of re-offending. The remainder are called registered sex offenders. Idaho laws requires adult registered sex offenders to stay on the sex offender registry for life unless a court orders them relieved of the responsibility to register. Other states have a specified number of years an offender must register. Idaho requires all offenders convicted of specified crimes to register and all of those registered will appear on the Idaho State Police Central Sex Offender websites. There are different levels or degrees such as Level 1, 2, & 3, and they may only show Level 3 offenders. It’s difficult to make a comparison to other states because there is too many variations in the law to make an accurate comparison.
Here is a link to that discussion:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/boise-area/336979-sexual-offenders.html
I am posting a link to this discussion in that thread so folks commenting there can share any info and will know about this case.
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0 0 Crystal:
1. There are no provisions in the state code that allow police to charge someone with a new charge for repeat violations of these type of offenses. So your blame on the police and the courts is misplaced. Being a repeat offender of these type of offenses only comes into play during sentencing and Jones was sentenced to the maximum possible penalty for disturbing the peace.
2. What would you suggest Jones be charged with? By the way, the reporter in the story screwed up - he was not charged most recently with trespassing, rather he was charged with trespass of privacy aka peeping tom. Regardless, what would you charge him with? Please cite an applicable law he could be charged with that he wasn’t before raging about people being fired.
3. Being a registered violent sex offender does not create a new set of laws you can be charged with. Its merely a label and carries no extra legal weight in terms of crimes and punishment.
4. If you want change then you need to do what I suggested earlier by petitioning your state representatives to change the law.
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0 0 If I look up a person with multiple driving without priveleges, I see “second offense” “third offense” etc.
The police and the courts are not one and the same and I place no blame on the police, police don’t file charges last I checked, neither do the courts, the DA does.
Are you the same anonymous who said there was no minimum speed law in Idaho?
You also say “Jones was sentenced to the maximum possible penalty for disturbing the peace.”
The article cites what Jones was CHARGED with and asks for us to pressure for a new BAIL HEARING to increase BAIL. Last I checked, bail hearings don’t happen AFTER sentencing.
Please explain!
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0 0 that is why more people need to carry guns. I better not catch a petaphiler in my house after my kid it could get real ugly. Come on IFPD puts people in prison with several felonies all the time even when they did not do it how come this creep gets better treatment? I knew someone who got 5 years for shop lifting (burglary DNA) is what they charged them with and they stole like 11.00 worth of stuff. I think the people of Idaho falls need to create a lynch mob and deal with people like him them selves . The police arent going to do anything to creeps like that. The city of Idaho falls is full of crooked people and so is its court house and police force they are crooked. I wish I could understand what benifits them to bust pot smokers and let sex crazed delutional wierdos that hurt kids run the streets. Be carfull Idaho falls don’t get pulled over for a no sealt belt or J walk you could get a long time behind bars. Atleast there are no sexual preds in there to worry about they are all outside of the jail.
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0 0 One would think after 9 years of college, spelling would be that difficult. (I’m just saying….)
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0 0 Hey I think one of George Jones’ convictions was for not wearing his seat belt….
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0 0 Jeezum Pete, Quest to Arm, your comment #11 was just loaded with the kinds of things I would scold my child for saying…macho nonsense braggadocio! It’s just so hard to take you seriously when you write that way.
You made some great arguments when you were initially writing in the CWP post, (although it got a little weird toward the end). I’d like to see more of those reasonable types of comments from you.
No, this isn’t a personal attack. I do want to read your comments, but the macho threats are very unappealing. I figured I’d just let you know how I feel.
Oh, and by the by, I wish there were something we could do about these guys such as Geo Jones, too. Any attorneys out there that could tell us what our options are?
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0 0 It seems to me that Dane Watkins should get a primer on new bail laws that went into effect in July 2007.
Read Idaho Code 19-2904 which states:
19-2904. ADMITTANCE TO BAIL BEFORE CONVICTION. If the charge is for any
other offense, he may be admitted to bail before conviction, as a matter of
right. If a person is admitted to bail or released upon the person’s own
recognizance, the court making such determination may impose such reasonable
terms, conditions and prohibitions as the court finds necessary in the exer-
cise of its discretion, including electronic or global positioning system
tracking, monitoring and detention. The court may order a person subject to
such conditions to bear the costs of the conditions at the person’s own
expense.
__________________________________________
http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/2007/H0127.html
__________________________________________
If Jones is able to post bail, but him on an electronic monitor/GPS system pending outcome of his cases.
Why isn’t Watkins office asking for bail increases or GPS on this guy? If they are taking him so “seriously ” this worries me a great deal. Seems to me these lawyers don’t know the laws they are bound to enforce and certainly aren’t using these laws to protect the public they have sworn to protect.
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0 0 I am really sick of the Idaho falls police dept and the court house. I am serious there are some crooked people working there that let the real criminals walk. As far as the macho nonsense braggadocio comment from nemisis. I am serious we all need to stop letting these cops and the law makers cripple our communities rights to a safe place to live. I am sick of it and I am ready for action. I have 5 video cameras and about 30,000.00 of photography equipment and want to start patroling the streets and getting some of the idiots on camera. I would like to get as many people involved as possible. I want to goto local parks and video tape child molesters hanging out there and turn them in even arrest them I have some hinged cuffs. Lets stop crying and waiting for our crooked police department to act and go get er done our selves. Who else is sick of it? I hate this so bad. I can’t be the only person who gives a crap about our kids in the community and our public safety.
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0 0 I disagree that our police department or our law enforcement and legislature are crooked. If citizen activism is what you want to do, patrolling the parks with video cameras and putting people that you suspect to be child molesters in handcuffs is not the most effective use of your time. (Are you trained to identify child molesters by sight? Because I don’t know anyone else who is…)
Lobby your lawmakers to pass the laws that are important to you, to make a difference legally. If they don’t listen to you, campaign against them at the next election and get a candidate in there who cares about the same things that you do. Effect change in our country the way the our forefathers intended.
Your recent comments seem to be rife with vigilante wannabe yearnings. I am truly concerned to know that someone who expresses themselves in this way is a CWP holder. You sound very passionate and caring, you just need to find a legal way to create the change you are looking for.
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0 0 Quest to Arms,
You could not be any further from the truth. Please cite one example where the police have let the “real criminals walk”. If you’re going to say a person got of clean free in the court system you can’t pin that on the police. After a person has been charged by them it’s out of their hands.
There isn’t one IFPD/BCSO officer who doesn’t know who George Jones is. There isn’t one officer who isn’t frustrated that all he can ever do is cite and release George Jones for a Misdemeanor (Misdemeanor Offense not in his presence is only a written citation, with a few exceptions).
Sorry, but you’re barking up the wrong tree on this one. By all means please go out and video as much as possible. Did you know the police still aren’t allowed to place a person in jail with video surveillance? This is still considered a Misdemeanor not in their presence.
The people who are right in this discussion are the ones saying let’s get a new law for people like this. Rather than passing the blame on someone else, how about we give them our help? You can’t blame the police or the courts if we don’t give them the law to work with. You cited a seat belt, J-Walking, Marijuana scenario. Well guess what? There is a law for all three of those offenses. Is there a law for the sick and twisted things George Jones has been doing? Specifically no, but generally it’s called Disturbing the Peace.
The reason why George Jones has so many Disturbing the Peace charges is because that’s all which will stick. As unfortunate as it is George Jones has to commit a felonious act before he can be charged with a felony. Now there’s the real frustration of our laws. Someone’s life has to be ruined before we’ll allow the police or courts to do anything. What we need to be doing, as the community, is getting together and getting a new law passed to protect our kids. I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s far more progressive than shift blaming all day.
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0 0 I think Bundy in comment 15 provides excellent information which could be applied without efforts to enact new legislation.
According to the news source cited in this article Jones is a registered as a Violent Sexual Offender. I’d be suprised if that doesn’t qualify him for the new bail laws Bundy cites in #15.
I don’t think anyone can rightfully blame any law enforcement officer for this situation. If anything, cops are as frustrated, if not more so, than we are, when they do the job assigned to them, only to have prosecutors cut deals, or fail to act with the full force of law.
http://www.drunkdriverhunters.com is a group operating around the concept quest to arm suggests applying in these kinds of cases. I don’t imagine it could work as well, since most molestations don’t happen in public view.
I hear his frustration, but think that it is shared by cops and others in the legal system, and stronger ties between the community and law enforcement are the answer.
The pressure needs to be applied to the Prosecutor’s Office to utilize the laws already on the books.
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0 0 That is exactly right. Dane Watkins and his staff should be filing motions as we speak to get a bail increase and/or GPS. With Jones status as a Violent Sexual Predator no judge is going ignore that fact alone (let alone his record since release from prison). GPS is the bare minimum here….it would not be unusual to for a higher bond to be set either. It was explained to me that the $300 bond set for Jones was an automatic setting for all Disturbing The Peace cases. The problem is that Watkins and his supposedly committed staff didn’t get off their duffs and appear at Jones arraignment and request a higher bond. They simply let the automatic setting take effect without challenging it. So, if 007 or I go and Disturb the Peace, we will get $300 bonds too…….but then again, we aren’t violent sexual predators like Jones is. I would love Mr. Watkins or his deputies to explain to the public why they haven’t taken any further action besides waiting for the next court date? It is pretty obvious that Jones has been doing more than waiting for his next court date……..he continues to trespass and try to peek at women in bathrooms. Do we have to wait until Jones peeks on Watkins wife in a public restroom before they will take more action?
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0 0 No, we have to wait until he tries to peek at Quest to Arm!!
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0 0 Brilliant observation.
Quest, will you please goto Jones house and leave him a note to meet at War Mothers Park tonight at 8 p.m.?
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0 0 Does anyone have further information on what crimes Jones committed that resulted in his being classified as a Violent Sexual Offender? I’m curious because it doesn’t stand to reason that he was classified as such just for being a peeping tom.
The George Robert Jones listed on the site in comment four has several battery, obsenity, display of obsenity, and indecent exposure charges, among others.
What crimes are encompassed by the Violent Sexual Offender classification?
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0 0 I think Quest will have to wear a dress for this mission!
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0 0 No offense Quest, in fact, I think you raise an important point:
Why doesn’t law enforcement set this guy up with a sting?
He doesn’t seem to operate under much cover, observing his movements and putting an undercover in a restroom he’ll likely visit would allow an officer to directly observe his actions.
Its not like anyone could reasonably argue he isn’t going to reoffend!
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0 0 Looks like Mr. Jones was convicted of stalking in Cassia County in 1996. Only got 6 months.
Also in 1996, several unlawful entry and disturbing the peace convictions. Looks like 6 months there too, are they combined?
Anyone better than me at reading these case histories? They are kind of confusing.
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0 0 I like the petitioning of higher bond, or no bond, from the Prosecutors’ idea. However, the person with the ultimate say on that is the judge.
Plus there is no reason why a judge can’t look at Jones’s history and make that decision himself. It’s very DISTURBING to see how much jail time he’s had over his head. Yet you see, recently, that the Judges’ are suspending this time giving credit for time served.
Where is the justice/public protection in this? Why aren’t the judges’ making Jones serve the maximum amount of time on every charge?! We may not have a law that will put Jones away for a long time, but come on give him the max for Disturbing the Peace. He obviously is a consistent repeat offender to show this guy is not getting it!
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0 0 Vote:
0 0 The judge won’t get involved after the arraignment stage unless the prosecutor makes a motion. Since Jones was already arraigned and Dane Watkins couldn’t take the time to show at his arraignment, he got the standard $300.00 automatic bond that he posted at the jail.
Come on Watkins!!!! File some motions and get Jones on GPS or in jail on a higher bond!!!!
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0 0 Surely this is not a matter of “it’s just a misdemeanor.”
The link galpalguy provides in 28 shows that this guy is a Registered Violent Sexual Offender, and that at the time of last update to that site he was compliant.
If he’s a registered VSO, it stands to reason he is supervised, and having further offenses absolutely would render him “non-compliant,” and he surely is required to report any police contact to whomever is supervising him, who would then remand, or at least have a hearing on remanding.
Am I making this up? Something is really not right here.
I’m going back to registration site right now to provide a link to this discussion if there is a contact/report form.
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0 0 I just emailed the Central Sex Offender Registry and asked them to post some answers here.
I suggest every one of us call, write or email.
Central Sex Offender Registry
PO Box 700
Meridian, ID 83680-0700
Ph: 208.884.7305
Fx: 208.884.7193
Email Us idsor@isp.idaho.gov
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0 0 George R. Jones case, Reg ID SX20723.
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0 0 Dane Watkins Jr. Prosecuting Attorney (208) 529-1350 ext 1348
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0 0 Why don’t government officials in Bonneville county have email addresses accessible to the public?
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0 0 Vote:
0 0 I’ve written to Mr. Watkins as well now, and asked that someone from his offices and from the offices of the Idaho Sex Offender Registry will provide some answers.
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0 0 Crystal, its quite clear your knowledge of how law enforcement works is quite limited. I would suggest you stop the personal attacks on everyone involved in law enforcement until you educate yourself to a level that your qualified to discuss the issue. Is this a personal attack on you? Perhaps, but its fitting because you are repeatedly calling for people to be fired for things that are out of their control.
For instance. Your suggesting someone has failed their job by not supervising Jones. For your information, he isn’t supervised by anyone because he’s not legally required to be. Sex offender is just a label, nothing more except he can’t go to schools. If Jones was on probation, he is not, then he would be supervised. No one is failing by not putting him on probation because Jones chooses to serve his maximum sentences everytime he is convicted so that he won’t have to be on probation. Thats why he did 5 years on an indecent exposure charge that normally would have gotten him a year tops. Its the state law thats failing your expectations, not people.
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0 0 Being a sex offender is just a label. Unless you are also on probation you have no supervision. Jones is not on probation because he chooses to top out his sentences, aka serve the max, every time to avoid this. The alternative is to let him out early which isn’t a good thing either. The state law fails you Crystal, not people. So you might wish to cut down the personal attacks on everyone who works in the system.
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0 0 I know from listening to people who are actively involved in the George Jones fiasco that everything that can be done legally is being done. Jones has a fairly good grasp of the law and knows just how far he can go before things start getting dicey for him. As anonymous says in #37, he always chooses to max out his sentence so he avoids probation. The local law enforcement are as much if not more frustrated than anyone one else.
IMO, the wrong people are being attacked. Changes in the law needs to be made at a state level. The locals can’t do anything except follow the laws that are in place.
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0 0 A post of common sense in a sea of nonsense posts.
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0 0 By the way Crystal:
I’m still awaiting you to say what George Jones should have been charged with. You cried “he was only charged with trespassing.” By the way that wasn’t true - he was charged with trespass of privacy aka peeping tom. Similar name, much different crime. You implied the police and everyone involved let everyone down by only charging him with this. That means you think there is something else he could have been charged with. I asked you once already to say what that is, now I ask again. And when you suggest whatever crime it is make sure you show how his actions that day meet the criminal elements of that crime.
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0 0 Crystal, I still await you to say what Jones should have been charged with? You say the system let us down by only charging him with trespassing (he was actually charged with peeping tom by the way - its legal term is trespass of privacy). Its time for you to educate everyone about what crime you believe exists. I asked you once and you ignored it, I now ask again.
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0 0 Anonymous, I am going to take that not only as a personal attack but also as a failure on your part to read the article we are commenting on as well as a failure to do any research.
What I have done, is to notify the ISP Office of Registered Sex Offenders as well as Dane Watkins, Jr., of this discussion, and invite them to read the comments here, and to address the concerns being voiced as they deem appropriate.
You state that Mr. Jones is not on probation. The article above states he is. So does the State Court Records site:
George R. Jones, YOB 1955:
06/09/2008 Probation Ordered (I18-6409 Disturbing The Peace) Probation term: 4 years. (Supervised)
06/09/2008 Sentenced To Incarceration (I18-6409 Disturbing The Peace) Confinement terms: Jail: 180 days. Credited time: 3 days.
06/09/2008 Sentenced To Incarceration (I18-7034 Unlawful Entry) Confinement terms: Jail: 180 days.
06/09/2008 Hearing Scheduled (OTSC 07/16/2008 09:30 AM)
Are you trying to inform us that he has already been remanded? He has a hearing scheduled 07/16/2008. Is he being held in custody? or out on $300 bail with no monitoring as described in Bundy’s #15?
Are you saying that after his conviction and incarceration in October 2007 he was released but not placed on probation?
You say “Being a sex offender is just a label.”
A Registered Violent Sexual Offender is an individual who has undergone a comprehensive psychosexual evaluation, as Mr. Jones underwent, the results of which indicate that the individual will reoffend, as Mr. Jones has done.
That seems to me to be a very useful label, when the information is acted upon accordingly, which has clearly not been the case with Mr. George R. Jones.
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0 0 Anon, you also say “Until he commits a felony their hands are pretty much tied on putting this creep away for a long time.”
George R. Jones has felony convictions.
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0 0 Can you please explain how Bundy’s #15 is nonsense and why it does not apply in this case?
Honestly, you say everything within the scope of the law is being done, so please let us know how this bail law does not apply, instead of critisizing me personally, in the interest of the topic.
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0 0 You also state that I have not answered your questions. But you have not answered my question, whether you are the Anonymous who previously informed us, in error, that there was no law regulating Minimum Speed in Idaho.
Are you taking issue with me, or with the article we are commenting on?
I think it is clear from the comments here that people want, myself included, a better understanding of what has gone wrong in this case. For example, if Jones was not on probation following his conviction and incarceration in 2007, having already been registered as a Violent Sexual Offender, something within the scope of the law was clearly not adhered to.
Far from attacking anyone involved with this case, my purpose in identifying and contacting the governmental agencies responsible for monitoring registered Violent Sex Offenders, whose status as compliant or in violation is tracked and made public, and for prosecuting them for subsequent crimes, is the protection of the community as well as the offender, whose residence address is a matter of public record.
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0 0 I really don’t see anything wrong with Crystal contacting who she wishes to express her frustrations, whether anonymous anyones agree or not. He’s a problem, let’s face it. “All we can do is lobby for better laws,” yadda, yadda, yadda, but if the police, prosecutor’s office, probation, etc. are all completely sick of him too and their “hands are tied” - why in the world are they not all lobbying for reform to such laws themselves? It shouldn’t solely be up to ordinary Joe’s and Jane’s like us. THEY see EVERY day the inequities in the system in more detail than us. I hope the the law enforcement locals believe their efforts may make more difference than ours - aren’t they citizens too with rights to speak up to lawmakers?
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0 0 Mr. Watkins has written back to ask me to speak to him by phone to discuss this matter. I have replied that I do not represent this site, and that I feel the record would be better set straight by his addressing the concerns directly within this discussion, and perhaps making himself available by phone to discuss the matter with those more directly involved than I, such as the author of this article.
Let’s hope to hear from him and get the facts straight!
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0 0 Jones is on probation for case#08-8894. He has two consecutive sentences here with 180 days each hanging on him. Problem is his previous cases haven’t been disposed of yet.
The probation department should have him on GPS and monitor him pretty closely. Crystal, the other posters are correct…..Jones isn’t on probation for a felony anymore, just the misdemeanors.
Jones status as a violent sexual predator does not mean he is supervised. Before he committed his recent crime and got placed on misdemeanor probation, he was a free man and could walk anywhere he wanted to go…..and he did…..right into women’s restrooms. That is simply a classification the state uses to designate an offender and makes them report their living address every 90 days instead of yearly. In other words, it doesn’t mean much here.
The problem I have with Watkins is that while they can’t file a violation on the probation cases (unless Jones reoffends since he was sentenced on 6/9/08); Watkins office is not diligently motioning the older cases for bond increases, GPS, etc…..Jones is out on Pre-Trial Release on CR-08-8359. He should be on GPS, or in jail. Ultimately, the prosecutor and probation department could and should be doing more here.
Anyone know someone at County Probation? Ask them if Jones is on GPS or any special type of watch. I hope they are watching him like a hawk. Isn’t it interesting that Jones lives on the same street and within close proximity to that missing girl Stephanie Elldridge? Could Jones have done something to that poor young girl?
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0 0 Better yet, if someone knows anyone personally at county probation, email them the link to this page for the heck of it. I didn’t live here when Stephanie went missing, can you refresh us on the facts of her case? Thanks.
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0 0 Cal the Humble, thank you for clarifying some of these questions.
I still am unclear on how he could reoffend in March of 08 after a conviction in October of 07, and not be in violation of probation, except that when I looked at the State Court Records site it didn’t look like he was ordered any probation in 07, which doesn’t make much sense to me.
Mr. Watkins responded very quickly to my email this morning, and seemed readily available to discuss the case.
I can only hope he posts here, but if for whatever reason he does not, I hope that the article’s author, or others more directly affected by this case than I, will call him and share any information they are provided, to reassure us all that the community is safe from this guy and that everything that can be done is being done.
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0 0 Stephanie Eldridge, then 21, disappeared from Idaho Falls in August 2007:
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0 0 She was a mother of three:
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0 0 Idaho Falls Mother Missing Over 6 Months
Posted: March 5, 2008 01:59 PM PST
KPVI
Three young girls have spent the last 6 months without their mother after Idaho Falls resident Stephanie Eldridge went missing last year.
For her family left behind, the reality of possibly never seeing their loved one alive again is starting to set in.
The 21 year-old mother was last seen on August 20th at her home on Holbrook Drive.
Stephanie’s four month old baby was in the living room but Stephanie was gone. Her purse, shoes, and car keys were all left behind. The only thing missing was her cell phone.
Police have entered her information and DNA into a national database and officers have searched the backcounty surrounding Idaho Falls, but have found no sign of Stephanie so far.
Moriah King says she would like to think she will see her daughter alive again, but the chances of that happening are not very likely as tips and leads have dried up.
Moriah King, Stephanie’s Mom: “I talked to the detective the other day and the case is pretty quiet. There is just nothing going on right now. And it’s very frustrating, very frustrating. And there’s not a night when I don’t close my eyes and pray that tomorrow will be the day that she’s home.”
The Idaho Falls Police Department says they are still following up on any new tips they receive, but say it is frustrating for them as well not knowing what happened to Stephanie.
The family has offered a $5,000 dollar reward for any information that helps find Stephanie.
If you know anything about this case and would like to help you can call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 522-1983.
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0 0 That’s right, I recall now. Isn’t it strange we turn on the national news weekly and hear of mothers/women missing all over America, but no one outside of SE Idaho has heard of this case? Where’s Nancy Grace? Or god forbid Shep Smith and Geraldo? How do other similar cases get national attention and this one is silent except for occasional local media?
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0 0 Ok Crystal explan why you put the stephanie article in this thread?
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0 0 George Robert Jones, dob 2/7/55, #15672, was discharged from Idaho department of corrections 7/24/07:
http://www.accessidaho.org/public/corr/offender/search.html?Formstep=crit
Here is a great list of Idaho Law Enforcement links:
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0 0 Justice, see comment 48
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0 0 Reader,
The police and courts alone can not get can not add a law. It takes us joes and janes to get it on the ballot and to get it passed. Why are there so many people who love to blame, but never act themselves?
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0 0 Sure they can add a new law. Cops do it all the time like I said several post before. Why can’t the police just frame this creep like they have done in the past to countless other people they do not like? The IFPD has been known to give someone a much larger charge for a ptetty thing just to get them off the street. Why is this guy any different? Why are the courts so easy on sex offenders in general in Idaho? And to also comment on several post back about catching sex offenders in parks. I would have a detailed list with pictures of them with me and would look them over and confirm the identity of the person and I also have laptops with Horizon internet cell cards. I can look them up. I think the public shoudl start using video and photography to defend our town from several different criminals. If the police need a helping hand catching bad guys then lets do it?
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0 0 Drunkdriverhunters.com works with the cops. I think you would have to require a very firm and sober commitment to be hands off, too tempting for people to handle the thing themselves, and even criminals do have rights. Sure, have a watch group type thing at a park, but you can’t follow people around harassing them.
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0 0 Dane Watkins is precluded by his position from making any statements in this forum pertaining to the pending case against George R. Jones.
He has informed me that Mr. Jones is in currently custody, that there are additional pending charges, and that the bond that brought him to his last court appearance is $150,000.
Mr. Watkins has been very available and responsive to my inquiries, replying immediately, and providing as much information as he is permitted.
I would urge anyone who has concerns in this case or any other to contact him directly before making any assumptions, as I have previously made, about his office’s role in ensuring public safety.
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0 0 Quest To Arms,
The only thing different between your Felony Burglary and Petit Theft is intent. EX: Going into a store and stealing an item when you had no money. Or how about the person admitting to the officer they entered the store to steal a certain item. BIG surprise your friend got charged with Burglary in which he probably plead it down with the Prosecutors to petty theft as an agreement to plead guilty.
Sure you may twist it any way you like to support your BIG IFPD Criminal Cops theory, but come on it’s really getting old.
Please enlighten us with all with your facts to why the IFPD keep letting George Jones go. Oh, that’s right there is none. Given the increasing amount of charges which they have cited Jones with, even before this discussion evolved, I think we can say they are doing their job on this.
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0 0 Sounds to me as if some certain posters owe Dane Watkins and those in law enforcement an apology. These people were angry about how they weren’t treating Jones seriously and calling for people to be fired. Then they were raging about his minimal bail. Turns out Jones has $150,000 bail which is hardly minimal.
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0 0 And I think they should march right on down to that courthouse get on their knees and beg forgiveness! Not.
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0 0 crystal you sure have an awful lot of free time….
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0 0 Here is someone who is getting a more appropriate sentence. http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=8493010
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0 0 Thank you, Anonymous, wish it was so, but I am just proficient and efficient.
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0 0 Its rather interesting given the hysterics in this thread to note that George Jones was arrested on June 6th and put into jail on a $150,000 bond. This is public record and easily viewable by anyone who visits http://www.idcourts.us Simply do a name search for George R Jones. Or a case # search of CR-2008-0008894. You’ll see that a warrant was issued on June 6th. He was arraigned on June 9th which means that sometime between the 6th and 9th he was arrested as you can’t be arraigned on a warrant until after the arrest.
This thread didn’t start until June 10th.
So the whole time everyone was ranting and raving about the lack of protection they were getting he was actually in jail. The whole time many were ranting and raving about his low $300 bond he was actually in jail on a $150,000 bond.
Foot meet mouth!
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0 0 “Foot Meet Mouth”. I love it. The problem is that those that were doing all the ranting will never admit that they were in the wrong. Those that were accusing people of not doing their jobs, will never admit that they did anything wrong. “Armchair quarterbacking” seems to be something that most people are very good at. It always amazes me how people are so quick to judge the cops, district attorneys, and other law enforcement people when they have no idea what is really going on. Many times those in the “know” are prohibited from telling what is happening behind the scenes so that they can make a case, and not jeopardize what it happening.
Thanks guest for the information.
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0 0 thanks Guest for comment #67…..amazing how much ado about nothing this post contains…..
thanks for the “facts”…..
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0 0 Two things to consider. The article was written before the most recent action took place that put Jones into jail. Second, if you read the most recent action, Jones plead guilty too 2 misdemeanors and was given 180 days on each count. He received 160 days suspended on the first count (with credit for time served of 3 days). So he will be out on June 26th on that case. The second case had all 180 days suspended….meaning no jail time (unless he screws up again).
Problem: The Courts still aren’t taking this guy seriously. 20 days for a repeat offender and a violent sexual predator to boot!!!!! Who knows what Watkins office asked for (or if they even showed up at his sentencing). However, Watkins office hasn’t asked for new conditions or higher bonds on the other cases. No new motions have shown up……so, Foot Met Mouth alright……but it is the on the ‘other’ foot of Idaho Native and Guest.
So, keep the kids safe on 6/26/08. Jones will be out to watch the Fireworks after all!!!
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0 0 Nice Bundy lol I love it.
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0 0 Bundy, last time I checked June 6th was four days before June 10th. June 6th is the day Jones had the $150,000 warrant issued for him. June 10th is the day that this site states this article was written.
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0 0 I’m thinking this article was written based upon what was read in the PR that day or just before…as the sign vandalism post also seems to be timed in just that way.
So if the information was missing in those pieces, it might not have occurred to the writer(s)? to check other sources.
Especially since there is a long history of lenient sentences for sex offenders in this area, I can see where this appeared to be just one more…
However, I do agree that we tend to jump to conclusions, and make generalized complaints, before we do a lot of investigation on this site.
But I also agree with Bundy that the sentencing given was still too lenient for someone with that kind of history, especially since much of it was suspended. (Now, I didn’t investigate the sentence myself, I’m just accepting comment #72 as accurate.)
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0 0 Dane Watkins would surely clarify the date upon which bail was raised to 150,000, and the date upon which Jones was taken into custody, and the status of any pending charges.
I have already reported the results of my correspondence with him in this thread, as well as provided his email address.
Why are people still arguing about the facts of this case?
If you need more answers than are provided in #62, write to him yourself, he responded right away when I did.
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0 0 Its because Crystal you aren’t dealing with the facts. Your still dealing with false assumptions and pretending they are facts.
Go to the site. It tracks ALL and I mean ALL court cases in the state of Idaho. Look up George Jones in Bonneville county. It will be right there in plain sight. And its all public record so you can do this from the privacy of your own home.
A warrant was issued on June 6th with a $150,000 bond. His bail wasn’t raised as you state, a warrant with that bail was issued =- different thing entirely. This is all plainly obvious to anyone looking at the case file. Jones was arraigned on this warrant on June 9th. As I stated you cannot be arraigned until after the arrest which plainly means that Jones was arrested in the interim.
This article was started on June 10th. That means that this whole article was based on the false premise of “Why is George Jones walking the streets?” because obviously Jones was not walking the streets at the time this article was published. It was also a falsity repeated many times in this article that Jones only had a $300 bond. That was true for one charge but not for this charge. Jones currently has numerous charges going through the system. You don’t really need a high bond on all of them if a high bond on one suffices to keep him from bailing out.
If people want to deflect by complaining about the sentence he got thats a different issue. And I’d agree that 30 days or whatever he got is light. My issue is all the overreactionary hysteria caused by all the false statements put out by you and others in this article. You and others basically crucified law enforcement and Dane Watkins office for things that clearly were not true and then you got all huffy when some tried to correct you. This is my issue.
By the way, I’m not “anonymous” who posted earlier here and any mod can verify that with a simple IP check since they will easily be able to tell who I am and who I am not. This is why I’m using the “guest” handle now to differentiate since I used to show up as anonymous. I am however the one who says there is no minimum speed limit and I still stand by that assertion since the law as it exists is vague enough to be useless - In Utah they actually post a minimum speed. I digress though.
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0 0 Anonymous, Guest, #77, if you follow your own link you will find:
06/02/2008 Bond Posted - Surety (Amount 300.00 ) 06/12/2008 Motion to increase bond.
06/06/2008 Bond Set: 150,000.00
06/06/2008 Warrant Issued - Arrest Bond amount: 150000.00 Defendant: Jones, George Robert
06/06/2008 Warrant Returned Defendant: Jones, George Robert
It seems to me that the original concern that has been expressed by the author of the article and which Bundy has repeatedly pointed out is that Jones was initially free on a $300 bond. And, like it or not, there IS a Minimum Speed law in Idaho.
I didn’t write this article, I’m the only one who contacted Watkins directly for an explanation to contribute to this thread, and frankly directing your comments to me, as you have been doing since you entered the discussion, seems totally inappropriate.
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0 0 The idcourts site is good but I wouldn’t swear by it’s accuracy. I am aware of a local professional who has several criminal and civil cases against him, yet for some reason only a couple are showing up in that database. It’s supposed to include ALL civil and criminal records, is it not? (yes, these are cases/lawsuits filed in the last 4 years in my example.)
Perhaps the county courthouse and local PD records are the best bet until that site is tweaked a bit more.
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0 0 crystal, give it up already! no more “carpet bombing” as someone else so aptly put it…….
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0 0 I only replied to your comment, Anonymous, and it seems to me that you are attempting in post #80 to deflect from the issue here which is NOT me but IS that Jones WAS released on $300 bond.
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0 0 I submitted the article before the other facts came out. Joe didn’t get to publishing it for awhile because he was tweaking/upgrading the site.
Jones has gotten off on yet another light sentence and his other cases haven’t received any extra attention. That is all…..pretty simple.
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0 0 Thank you for submitting this article, Cal. This is an important subject and I’d hope to see future updates about this and other similarly concerning cases involving sex offenders.
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0 0 #80 was my first comment….so you couldn’t have been replying to me!
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0 0 So your sole purpose in commenting was to suggest I overcomment? That sure is ironic.
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0 0 crystal, please stop! you are driving users away from this site!
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0 0 Everyone please stop bashing on Crystal and get back on the subject. Lets start acting like adults here and post some mature subject matter. I am really sick of the attacks on users. I think someone should create a topic called ” Why are some users retarded and like to attack users who make sense?”
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0 0 lol thanks quest. If I am driving users away why isn’t it the ones you refer to?
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0 0 what?
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0 0 et voila!
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0 0 Crystal: “if I am driving users away, why isn’t it the ones you refer to?”
crystal, weren’t you the one making fun of what you called “bad writing”? how about those people who live in glass houses. . . .
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0 0 Nice to see that Brad Stowell was released from prison and is out on parole……the only good aspect is that he is in Boise. Good for us…..bad for the kids in Boise (especially the Boy Scouts). Yet another reason for mandatory minimum sentences for sex offenders. The judge gave this guy a 2 yr. minimum for molesting multiple boys. What a joke!!!!
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0 0 Good lord, enough already CRYSTAL and BABS, no matter what monikers you’re using today, end it, alright?
Moving on….
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0 0 I’m with you Guess who, this is nuts.
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0 0 Stop bashing Crystal and move on. I am sick of it and I am going to ask Joe to stop you if you do not halt the personal attack on crystal.
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0 0 sorry, Guess Who, but I am not Babs…..
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0 0 That’s OK, whatever. Easterner I believe is also babs. How about choosing one name and sticking with it, instead of quitting the game, only to return as another poster L.C? Or at least change up the writing style and choice of wording next time.
George Jones will be laughing his rear off when he reads this thread!
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0 0 Just for the record, I am not Babs either…..but I was around when Babs posted and I wish she and Meso and Mike and ooh_child would all come back.
ps Joe, post #97 certainly sounds like a personal attack, IMHO…….
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0 0 Comment # 98 by easterner on June 20, 2008 @ 3:41 pm
ps Joe, post #97 certainly sounds like a personal attack, IMHO…….
Easterner, that’s what I mean, it’s a personal attack/baiting depending on who it’s against. You know I usually like your posts until you say something like this simply because it never applies to the new guys, only the long term bloggers. If #97 is a personal attack, then certainly, the attacks and the baiting against Idahogie and Crystal have been. If the rules applies to one, they apply to all. It’s only fair. I’m not trying to come down on you, just trying to help you understand where we’re coming from.
I’ve been asked to point them out, I’m pointing one out. The rest of us are always too sensitive. I just don’t get it.
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0 0 I see your point, hmmmm……perhaps I can explain: some time ago (it may have been two years ago!!) the old Joe had posted in response to someone’s concerns that people were being “outed” (correctly or not), that he would delete posts which attempted to “out” people as(I think) he felt it was a personal attack.
This may have actually been a post in answer to Joe’s comments but either way, the issue was raised and I was under the impression that the old Joe, anyway, wanted to delete speculation as it would change the tone of an anonymous online blogsite. This is going back to the days of JeremyPlo, so bear with me. I’m old.
Maybe the new Joe doesn’t have such a rule.
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0 0 Okay thanks for the clarification. Some people still feel like they’re being harrassed is where I was coming from, and I think Jeremy has long left the building. He was before my time but I’ve read some of his posts, some good, some on the testy side but then I figure I can get cranky at times too. But I appreciate your summary. Thanks.
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0 0 oh, sure, I just meant that “rule” (if it was such) dated from a looooonnnnnnnggggg time ago and was dating it as such by mentioning the whole jplo era.
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0 0 Was the rule different from the guidelines today?
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0 0 I think it was an offshoot of Guideline 2 but again, moderators deleted posts where people were talking about who an anonymous poster really “was”. The discussion happened in the chatbox for the most part.
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0 0 I see, thanks easterner
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1 1 Many of the posters are very sensitive to Law enforcement and the system. That’s fair. But it seems that when Crystal says something people see as negative or when someone says something “not nice” about the police people get upset and start wailing about how mistreated the cops are and how someone should stick up for the PA’s office, etc because they are doing a great job, etc.
Take a real good look at the rate of sex offenders in this area. Doesn’t that bother anyone? What’s going on?
If you wonder why people like Crystal and others are so harsh on the sex offender situation, let me tell you a story:
Ritchie Castaneda raped SIX kids in American Falls as a juvenile. That’s a fact that got him sent away to jail. He then raped another kid at 17 and then got out to try to rape his 12 year old sister in law and her 11 year old cousin and 7 year old cousin. He got a minor charge of battery on those offenses and was placed on probation. While on probation he admitted to raping FOUR girls who were 15 years old at the time under a police polygraph. Guess what he got? NOTHING-oh I’m sorry, He did get 120 days for violating his probation for drinking a beer. NOTHING for the four rapes he admitted to doing. (Kimball Mason is responsible for that)
I and another mother had to drive to the three counties he did these rapes in to even get them reported, No one in our area even had the grace to call in the offenses and ask for an investigation. We went to the local prosecutors AND the State Police and were told it was not their jurisdiction. One of the State police officers made it his business to go interview one of the victims. He brought the information back to the local police and nothing happened.
Mr. Castaneda then raped another person-a 20 year old this time. She’s now in Florida and wants to come back here to testify against him if someone would bring a case against him. In the meantime, he moved to Arizona. The SVU Sarg. there phoned me and said they were looking at him as a person of interest in the serial rapes they were having in the area because we sent his file over to them. He moved to Utah after they knocked on his door.
And right now that he has flunked his sexual evaluation his ex wife ordered in a custody battle, the courts are saying he MIGHT actually be dangerous. Duh. Tell that to the many victims he has left behind.
Oh and he is NOT in jail, going to jail, being charged with anything and he’s out and about without the “label” of a sex offender because his juvenile record was sealed. We found out by checking his divorce records, talking to the child victims’ families and back tracking the papers. But since his stuff was pleaded down to misdemeanors by Kimball Mason nobody knows he is a dangerous rapist-unless you research his files.
And we told the Deputy Attorney General, the head of the PAs here, the State Police, the Blackfoot Police, the Pocatello Police and the police in American Falls and showed them the statement from Castaneda’s probation officer that he confessed to the rapes and while they all agreed it was terrible, he probably did these crimes and he was dangerous, they did nothing.
So, if you wonder why people seem to be less than thrilled with the response of law enforcement to these cases, look up Ritchie Castaneda. Don’t go on line. You won’t get all the details of the truth. Go down to the courthouse, pull the file and read the whole thing. THAT is what is walking the streets of Utah right now and Idaho when he comes to visit his family.
PS: It was reported on Channel Six News and in the Post Register. Nothing was done by law enforcement on this case.
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0 0 My step-dad was a supervisor in a potato plant where he had to fire this guy for exposing him self to a poor little mexican women
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0 0 Local news is reporting that Daniel Jones, younger brother of the George Jones in this thread, was arrested last week for two counts of child enticement. He apparently lured an 11 and 9 year old girl into his vehicle with a promise of alcohol and drugs and then to a secluded park where a good police officer on patrol discovered them and arrested Jones. Looks like the problems in the Jones family run deep. And I must wonder where the parents of these two girls were that a guy could take them from their front lawns and only by the grace of on the ball police officer were the girls saved since it doesn’t sound like the parents were even aware the kids were missing.
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0 0 Also, if I read the disposition right on the public access court records it appears that George Jones may have been released from jail today after serving nearly a year (the max allowed for those like Crystal who don’t believe the system is protecting her). It says something to the effect of “held in jail until 4/23/09.” So he would have served about 10 months and he likely got credit for good behavior as all inmates are eligible for.
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0 0 My question is why the girl was enticed by drugs and alcohol. I blame the parents just as much if not more than I blame the dirtbag that managed to lure a 9 year old into his car with mind altering substances.
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0 0 Guess who is being released….You got it! George Jones.
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0 0 Oh my, someone get this guy off the streets!!!! - ladies, that could have been any one of us, and you know how strapping little guys into carseats leaves you an open target for perverts like this!
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0 0 Kudos to local law enforcement for catching him quickly.
But unless there is more to the story than the media is reporting I don’t see the kidnapping charge sticking. You must prove intent that he was going to kidnap her and from the news stories all I see is an unlawful entry which is only a misdemeanor. Speculation about what he might have done is not proof, you can only go with what he actually did. Given his history I’m sure he’ll do max time for that but being a misdemeanor its still only 6 months to a year.
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The problem is that Jones actions fall into a loophole within the law. What he’s doing is only a misdemeanor and oftentimes barely that. The incident from last summer where he peeped at the two girls for instance was barely a crime in the legal sense. Don’t get me wrong I’m disgusted by his behavior too, but in a strictly legal sense what he’s doing is very mild. Take the case of the two girls last summer - because he was on PUBLIC property the peeping tom statute didn’t apply because by definition under the code you have to be on private property. Thus the most the police could charge him with was disturbing the peace. Jones was then sentenced to the maximum possible punishment for this charge which if memory serves is only 90 days in jail.
I’m in complete agreement that Jones is a danger. I just want everyone to realize that his freedom is not the fault of the police and / or courts as they are treating Jones as seriously as they can. Until he commits a felony their hands are pretty much tied on putting this creep away for a long time.
This case is similar to one in Blackfoot a few years ago where a creep slipped through a loophole. There a guy had set up a video surveillance system to watch women in the bathroom. They were unable to find a single crime which this could fall under. As such the authorities in Blackfoot went to the legislature, explained the problem, and a new law was drafted. Now we have something called video voyeurism on the books. Such an action might be necessary here to keep Jones from slipping through legal loopholes.
Calling Dane Watkins is a waste of your time on this. I know Dane’s office is already treating this creep as seriously as they can and if they could do more they would. The people you need to contact are your local state legislators. Educate them about this guy and whats going on and encourage them to draft a new state law.