Boise man sentenced to 30 years for repeatedly exposing himself to children
An Ada County district judge ordered a 62-year-old Boise man to prison on Monday after police said he followed children home from school and exposed himself while masturbating.
Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler sentenced Steven Roach to 30 years. He will be eligible for parole after 10 years, according to a news release from the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.
In March, Roach pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree stalking and one count of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 16.
Police arrested Roach in January following a report that students from a local elementary school were being followed home by an unidentified man. An investigation was started and Roach was contacted by police when he was seen engaging in stalking behaviors near the elementary school.
Further investigation led to several felony charges stemming from similar incidents in recent years and months. Prosecutors amended his original charges to include eight felony counts of first-degree stalking, sexual abuse of a minor under 16, and attempted sexual abuse of a minor.
He was charged with sexual abuse of a minor under 16 for exposing himself in front of two elementary school children, according to the Ada prosecuting attorney’s office.
The Ada County news release said that prosecutors sought a 30-year sentence with 20 years fixed. “This sentencing request was due to his criminal history, which includes indecent exposure convictions in 1985, 1989 and 2006, the fact that he was determined to be a high risk to reoffend, the fact that he admitted to exposing himself to others over 100 times over the past 45 years, and his being a danger to the most vulnerable population in the community — young children,” the release said.
A no-contact order was put in place for all children for the length of Roach’s sentence, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
Hippler said during sentencing that even though Roach has been arrested and charged for exposing himself in the past, he was not deterred by the criminal consequences he received. Hippler also noted that the social consequences of Roach’s actions did not deter him either, according to the release.
