Pocatello man accused of enticing child over Snapchat charged

POCATELLO — A man police say used an online messaging app to solicit, persuade or lure a 14-year-old girl for sex acts faces a felony charge.

Emmanuel Gavilan Miera, 20, has been charged with one count of enticing a child over the internet, court records show.

Oct. 4

While investigating a reported runaway child, a Pocatello police officer learned that the 14-year-old girl told classmates she was involved in a sexual relationship with Miera, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

During the same investigation, officers were given permission to search the missing girl’s phone. While doing the search, officers found pictures of the girl hugging and kissing Miera, the affidavit says.

Oct. 19

Officers received a call around 8:30 a.m. reporting the runaway was at a home on the 500 block of West Fremont Street. The caller told officers that the girl was with Miera at the house.

When officers arrived at the address, they saw the girl running back inside the home and back out the backdoor with Miera. She was later found hiding under a bridge near the Portneuf River.

Officers arrested Miera for harboring a runaway juvenile, according to the affidavit. During the arrest, officer seized Miera’s phone.

After obtaining a search warrant, Miera’s phone was turned over to forensic extraction experts. He posted a $1,500 bond and was released from Bannock County Jail custody.

Dec. 28

The same girl was reported as a runaway again. Her family told officers they believed she was with Miera again, at the same home on West Fremont Street and that they believed the girl and Miera were planning on leaving town together.

The family member provided officers with screenshots of Snapchat messages shared between the girl and Miera. Police reports describe the messages as discussing sex acts, among other things.

While investigating an unrelated matter near the intersection of North Hayes Avenue and West Lander Street, officers found Miera and placed him under arrest.

He was taken to Bannock County Jail and booked. Miera was released Jan. 16 on his own recognizance with GPS monitoring and a no-contact order.

Though Miera has been charged with this crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty, Miera would face up to 15 years in prison.

A preliminary hearing on this matter was waived with the charge bound over to district court. A district court arraignment has not yet been scheduled.