Pocatello man facing life sentence after alleged sexual assault of a minor

POCATELLO — A man police say forcibly assaulted a minor has been charged with multiple felonies.

Richard Robert Rodriguez, 60, faces felonies for lewd conduct with a minor and forcible penetration with a foreign object, as well as misdemeanors for obstructing an officer and providing false information, court records show.

Pocatello police detectives took over the investigation of an alleged sexual assault on Aug. 11, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Officers initially assigned to the case had already recorded that a 15-year-old girl had reportedly been sexually violated by Rodriguez. The girl was attending therapy and had been to Portneuf Medical Center for a rape kit examination.

During the rape kit, the nurse conducting the exam found a substance consistent with semen, the affidavit says. Officers were issued a detention order to obtain a DNA sample from Rodriguez.

Officer found a man they identified as Rodriguez just after noon on Aug. 11. But the man told the officers his name was Bobby Aguilar.

Having visually identified the man as Rodriguez, the officers attempted to detain him, but he pulled away from the officers and attempted to escape. Officers were able to subdue the man and took him to the Pocatello Police Department for questioning.

During questioning, Rodriguez denied any sexual contact with the victim. Officers collected a DNA sample and took Rodriguez to the Bannock County Jail, where he was booked and is being held on a $100,000 bond.

Though Rodriguez has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty, Rodriguez could face up to life in prison.

He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing before Magistrate Judge Carol Tippi Jarman on Sept. 25.