Man changes plea in sexual battery case

COEUR d’ALENE — A Hauser contractor accused of forcing a teen girl to have oral sex has taken an Alford plea.

Joshua C. LaRue, 44, pleaded guilty in accordance with Alford on Tuesday to injury to a child, a felony, and sexual battery, a misdemeanor.

By entering an Alford plea, LaRue does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence that he might be convicted if the case went to trial.

LaRue was previously charged with four counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years old. The state reportedly agreed to amend the charges as a result of mediation that included the accuser, a teen girl who now lives out of state but who resided in Hauser when the crimes allegedly occurred.

The accuser said that on at least four occasions, beginning when she was 13 years old, LaRue forced her to have oral sex.

The plea agreement also included a no-contact order between LaRue and the teen.

LaRue, who is president of JL Construction and JL Steel Construction, both in Hauser, was arrested on a felony warrant in September 2019. Investigators conducted many interviews with the accuser and others for more than two months before bringing charges against LaRue, according to court records.

Felony injury to a child carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and up to a $50,000 fine, while misdemeanor sexual battery carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine.

Sentencing recommendation will be made based on a psychosexual evaluation, as well as on the results of a polygraph test.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 15.