Man charged with sexual abuse after bus incident

COEUR d’ALENE — A grand jury has indicted a man accused of sharing a sexually explicit message with a child at a bus station.

Zachary J. Destephano, 51, is charged with sexual abuse of a child, a felony. 

The charges stem from March 10, when an 11-year-old boy told police that he noticed a man, later identified by police as Destephano, looking at him while both were riding the Citylink bus. 

Later, while the boy sat on a bench at the Riverstone Transit Center, Destephano sat next to him and allegedly typed a sexually explicit message on his phone, which he showed to the boy, court records said. 

Security footage appeared to show Destephano nudging the boy to get his attention at the bus station and then showing the boy his phone, according to court records. 

After Destephano was identified, police interviewed him and arrested him on the charge of sexual abuse of a child. 

In Idaho, a defendant charged with any felony is entitled to a preliminary hearing, unless the individual has been indicted by a grand jury. 

After Destephano’s arrest, First District Judge James Combo ordered that Destephano be held on $150,000 bail and that a preliminary hearing in the matter be stayed until after Destephano underwent a mental health evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial. 

The subsequent grand jury indictment eliminated the need for a preliminary hearing. Destephano is expected to appear in court later this month for arraignment. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing sexual abuse, call Safe Passage Violence Prevention Center’s 24-hour helpline: 208-664-9303.