Emmett man sentenced to life for sex crime

COEUR d'ALENE - An Emmett man with a prior conviction for sexual abuse of a minor was handed a life sentence Thursday in 1st District Court for committing lewd conduct with a minor in Kootenai County.

Robert Wynia, 62, was sentenced by Judge Benjamin Simpson, the prosecutor's office announced. The first 20 years are fixed, meaning Wynia is not eligible for parole. The remaining years are indeterminate.

On Sept. 3 Wynia pleaded guilty to the lewd conduct charge relating to engaging in oral and genital sex with a 15-year-old boy. Wynia had traveled to the Coeur d'Alene area to meet with the victim after they had met over the Internet. Wynia later admitted to having recorded the encounter with the victim. Wynia had a prior conviction in 1992 for sexual abuse with a minor under the age of 16, according to the press release.

Simpson considered the prior offense and current offense in determining that the long sentence was appropriate to protect society from future harm from Wynia's predatory conduct, the prosecutor's office said.