Priest River man gets life sentence for child sex

COEUR d'ALENE — A Kootenai County judge sentenced a Priest River man last week to life in prison for lewd conduct with a minor under 16.

Reginald Ivie, 37, pleaded guilty to the offense on Dec. 17, 2015, according to a press release from the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office. A Coeur d'Alene Police Department investigation revealed Ivie had sex with a 13-year-old child on two occasions over the course of a weekend.

"The danger of this defendant reoffending is high," County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said in the release. "He failed to accurately acknowledge his conduct and take responsibility for his actions. The sentence was appropriate given the nature of the offense and the chance of continuing predatory conduct by the defendant."

Ivie, who has a prior conviction for battery, was sentenced by Judge John Mitchell, who ordered that Ivie spend seven years in prison before being eligible for parole. According to the release, Mitchell considered Ivie's conduct and concluded "he had no remorse for the conduct," "had done nothing to change his circumstances," and "could not be trusted on probation."

"Mr. Ivie's conduct while the charge was pending gave the court little comfort in evaluating the likelihood of similar conduct in the future," McHugh said in the release. "The fixed term guarantees that our community will be safe from similar conduct by Mr. Ivie for at least seven years, at which time the Parole Commission can evaluate his progress and the likelihood that he can successfully complete a period of parole without victimizing other children."