Former Rep. von Ehlinger arrested in Georgia — more than 2 weeks after Idaho charges
Aaron von Ehlinger, the former Idaho state representative facing a rape charge, is in police custody over two weeks after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Von Ehlinger was arrested around 11:30 p.m. Saturday in Georgia and booked into the Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro, which is south of Atlanta. Jail records indicate he is being held on a fugitive from justice charge, which is a common listing for local jails when handling people with out-of-state arrest warrants.
Von Ehlinger, the former state representative for Idaho’s 6th House District who resigned in April, faces two felony charges in Ada County’s 4th District Court — rape and sexual penetration with a foreign object. He had a warrant issued for his arrest on those charges on Sept. 9.
Spokespeople for the Ada County Sheriff’s Office and the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to the Idaho Statesman that von Ehlinger was arrested over the weekend.
Clayton County court records show that von Ehlinger went before a magistrate judge Sunday morning and was denied a bond amount.
It was not immediately known why von Ehlinger was arrested in Georgia, though the former representative graduated from the University of Alabama, according to his legislator information page.
Von Ehlinger’s charges and fallout
The former Idaho representative is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old legislative intern in March. The Boise Police Department opened an investigation into von Ehlinger’s actions and later referred the case to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.
Fellow members of the Idaho House had warned von Ehlinger about his behavior toward women in the past, according to previous Idaho Statesman reporting.
The intern and von Ehlinger were called to testify in front of an Idaho House ethics committee in April, leading the committee to recommend that he be expelled from his seat for conduct unbecoming of a House member. He resigned just hours after the ethics committee hearing.
Von Ehlinger has denied any wrongdoing and said the actions between him and the woman were consensual, including in his resignation letter to the Idaho House.
On Sept. 10, the woman filed a tort claim targeting the Idaho Legislature and several elected officials.
His vacant House seat was later filled by Lori McCann, who was appointed by Idaho Gov. Brad Little.
This story was originally published September 27, 2021 at 10:51 AM.
