Prosecutor ‘very disappointed’ in sentence for Nampa man’s child porn crimes
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- Antonio Berrelez, a 74-year-old Nampa man, plead guilty to two counts of possession of child sexually exploitive material.
- An 11-year-old went to police with sexual abuse allegations against the man, which led to his arrest for the child porn crimes.
- Berrelez has been sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison, eight of which could be spent on parole.
After an 11-year-old girl went to police with sexual abuse and enticement allegations against a neighbor in Canyon County, officers said they found thousands of images and videos that were suspected to be child pornography at a 74-year-old Nampa man’s home.
That man, Antonio Berrelez, later was charged with 10 counts of possession of child sexually exploitative material, and eventually pleaded not guilty to all counts. He accepted a plea agreement with the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office that involved eight charges being dropped in exchange for guilty pleas to two of them.
A Canyon County judge in September sentenced Berrelez to up to 10 years in prison, with only two years fixed, meaning he ordinarily would be eligible for parole after serving 24 months. But Berrelez also will receive treatment while incarcerated for what the defense argued was a pornography addiction, and the judge retained jurisdiction, meaning Berrelez could receive probation in less than a year if he successfully completes what’s commonly referred to as a rider program.
If Berrelez does not meet the criteria for completing the rider, the judge can impose the prison sentence.
Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Boyd told the Idaho Statesman in an email that his office was “very disappointed” in the sentence and believed that an imposed prison sentence was appropriate, rather than the retained jurisdiction.
The sex crime report that led to Berrelez’s arrest
When the 11-year-old and her parents spoke with a Nampa Police Department officer in November 2024, the girl reported instances of alleged lewd conduct occurring between May and August 2024, Nampa Detective Jonathan Styles outlined in an affidavit of probable cause.
The girl also reported seeing inappropriate images on the screensaver of an iPad at Berrelez’s home.
In January 2025, police searched the home and found the iPad. After scanning the device, Styles said he sent about 32,000 images to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The assessment found several children in the images to be known by the organization, Styles stated in the affidavit.
Nampa police said they did not arrest Berrelez the day of the search but told him that he was under investigation. Berrelez turned himself in at a police station on March 3, according to a Nampa news release.
“The bravery of children involved in crimes like this is astounding. We are honored to work with the families to try to bring some peace and closure during the criminal process,” Styles said in the release. “The actions of Antonio Berrelez have no place in our communities, and we hope for a strong sentencing.”
The lewd conduct allegation has not resulted in charges, but in court, prosecutors said there is probable cause and indicated that charges could be filed in the future. Berrelez denied that allegation in court.
Boyd told the Statesman that in cases of child sex abuse, it’s obviously quite difficult and traumatizing for young people.
“It is for us a painful reality that we are often unable to proceed until the victim is ready, if and when that happens,” Boyd said via email.
Attorneys discuss Berrelez’s crimes
Defense attorney Lary Sisson argued during the sentencing hearing that the materials found in Berrelez’s possession were the result of an addiction, and he said Berrelez didn’t have a criminal history.
“My client has spent a great deal of his life prior to the last short period of time living a life of honor and living a life of service, and that’s partly why this is so tragic,” Sisson said.
The attorney told 3rd District Judge Matthew Roker that Berrelez wanted to receive treatment and redeem himself.
“I look back when I got arrested, and I know that I didn’t only hurt myself, but my family as well,” Berrelez said in court. “So I start off saying I’m sorry, and what I and who I am is not what I have done. And I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to convince you, but also myself.”
Canyon County Deputy Prosecutor Stephanie Morse said people who commit child sexual exploitation crimes often don’t have a criminal history, leaving friends and family of the offender surprised because they “simply didn’t see this person as capable of committing this kind of offense.”
She said Berrelez understood what he did was wrong, but also didn’t acknowledge that he had real victims.
“These people lead three lives — they lead their public life ... they have a private life, and then they have a secret life,” she said. “That is where we find these kinds of offenses, in that secret life.”
The court requested a psychosexual examination for Berrelez to determine his risk to the community, which found him to have a low-risk potential to reoffend and a moderate risk to the community.
