California man charged with kidnapping Nampa girl pleads guilty. Here’s what we know
A California man who was charged with kidnapping an 11-year-old Nampa girl pleaded guilty Wednesday.
Brian Sangjoon Lee, 20, entered into a plea agreement that lowered his charge from first-degree kidnapping to second-degree, according to court documents obtained by the Idaho Statesman.
The resident of a Los Angeles suburb traveled to Idaho from California after making an arrangement with the girl through an online gaming program, according to a news release from the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office.
After searching the girl’s cellphone, authorities determined that she had been in contact with someone holding a California phone number, the release stated. She was located at a Nampa hotel with Lee, police said.
Lee has been in custody at the Canyon County jail since August and is being held on a $1 million bond.
Under Idaho law, a conviction for second-degree kidnapping is punishable by anywhere from one to 25 years in prison. Lee could have faced life in prison or even the death penalty for first-degree kidnapping.
The Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Lee is expected to be sentenced on May 11, according to online records.
