Man gets prison for sexual abuse

COEUR d’ALENE — A man will spend up to a decade behind bars after he pleaded guilty to molesting a child.

Sidney A. Davis, 60, of Hayden, pleaded guilty in July to sexual abuse of a child, a felony punishable by a maximum of 25 years in prison.

First District Judge Lansing Haynes sentenced Davis last week to 10 years in prison, with three years fixed and seven years indeterminate, as well as 56 days' credit for time served.

That means Davis will be eligible for parole in about three years.

The charge stemmed from Feb. 25, when an 11-year-old girl reported that Davis put his hands under her clothes, touching her chest and privates, while she stayed with Davis at his Hayden home.

Another child told police he walked in on Davis touching the girl, according to court documents.

The children walked to a nearby business around 11 p.m. and asked for help to call the police.

The girl reportedly said she was afraid Davis would beat her with a belt if he found out she had spoken with law enforcement.

When contacted by police, Davis reportedly said he gave the girl a hug and kissed her goodnight.

He later said he had been drinking and did not remember the incident.

Police arrested Davis at his residence and charged him with sexual abuse of a child and with lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 16, a felony punishable by up to life in prison.

He later posted $250,000 bail.

Prosecutors dismissed the lewd conduct charge in August, after Davis entered a guilty plea on the remaining charge.