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NEWPORT – A 21-yearold man who exchanged sexual pictures and messages with a 12-year-old girl in 2022 was sentenced to 30-days in jail and ordered to undergo sex offender evaluation and any treatment recommended when he appeared in Superior Court Thursday, June 20 before Judge Robin McCroskey.
Izak Wade Shidler, 23, had pleaded guilty in May to one count of the single felony charge of communication with a minor for immoral purposes as part of a plea deal in which other charges were dismissed.
The juvenile victim didn’t want to participate in the prosecution, but her mother wrote a victim impact statement which was read in court by the victim witness coordinator. The mother said the abuse changed her daughter, who she said used to be outgoing and energetic. Now she isolates herself in her room and doesn’t talk to anyone, the mother wrote. The girl has anger outbursts, the mother said.
“She’s become destructive and violent,” the mother said. “I can’t get her to do counseling, she refuses.”
The girl blames herself, her mother said.
“It has changed our lives forever,” she wrote. “I want the book thrown at the person that did this to my daughter.”
Prosecuting attorney Lori Preuss said that the guilty plea to the sex offense achieves accountability and avoids the case going to trial. She recommended 30 days in custody, a $1,000 fine and that Shidler undergo psychosexual evaluation and successful completion of any recommended treatment. He has served 29 days already.
Defense attorney Timothy Note said that the case started with a false Facebook profile in which the victim said she was older than she was. He said the victim initially pursued Shidler, although Shidler continued the contact after he became aware of the girl’s actual age.
Note acknowledge the dismissal in the plea deal of charges of sexual exploita- tion of a minor and second- degree possession of depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, were beneficial to Shidler.
“This is a tremendous reduction from where it could be,” he said. He said he agrees sex offender treatment is appropriate and would benefit Shidler. He asked that the $1,000 fine be waived as Shidler was going to have to spend several thousand dollars for the evaluation.
Shidler apologized and said he looked forward to completing treatment.
McCroskey agreed with the prosecution and sentenced Shidler to 30 days in jail, a psychosexual evaluation and follow-up treatment. She said the evaluation was important and she wanted it done within 45 days.
“The sooner you get this done, the sooner you can complete treatment and avoid being forced to register (as a sex offender),” McCroskey said. She said Shidler would have the ability to make money once his sentence and treatment were completed and declined to waive the $1,000 fine.
McCroskey said that she had read all the electronic chats involved, including the point in which Shidler asked the victim how old she was and when she replied 12 asked her if she had transposed the digits.
“I remember that and I thought, ‘OK, there is your chance. Never talk to her again, block her’,” McCroskey said. “And you didn’t take that. You didn’t take that opportunity and here we are. This will forever change your life.”
