Former Red Box manager bound over on child molestation charges

By RALPH BARTHOLDT

Staff Writer

A 43-year-old Post Falls man accused of child abuse was bound over this week to First District Court after waiving his probable cause hearing.

Jason A. Himes, the former regional manager of Red Box, faces two counts of lewd conduct with minors.

Himes, who posted $50,000 bail a day after being charged Nov. 12, is accused of molesting children between 8 and 16 years old at the time of the alleged sexual acts.

At the time of his arrest, prosecutors asked for $150,000 bail, but his attorney, Craig Zanetti, said Himes had hometown roots. He was raised in Spokane, attended NIC, and has four children.

“He is very surprised about these allegations,” Zanetti said.

According to police reports, Himes is alleged to have engaged in sexual activity with children while he lived in Oregon before moving to Idaho several years ago, and while living at his Post Falls residence on the 1500 block of Jupiter Court.

Post Falls police said Himes is also under investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children task force. The task force, part of the attorney general’s office, tracks people who engage in the manufacture or conveyance of child pornography.

Charging documents show that Himes allegedly had sexual contact with one alleged victim between April 16, 2009, and April 2, 2017, when the child was between 8 and 16 years old, with another alleged victim between April 2, 2015, and April 2, 2017. Both of the incidents are alleged to have occurred in Kootenai County, according to the criminal complaint.

A no-contact order that prohibits Himes from coming within 500 feet of any of the alleged victims is in place. An arraignment date has not been set.