LEWISTON, ID – A 28-year-old man who was wanted on a 2018 Nez Perce County warrant was arrested by Asotin County Sheriff’s deputies yesterday morning after he attempted to register as a sex offender in Asotin County. Jessie Daniel Barnes was wanted on outstanding warrants for Sexual Battery of a Minor Child 16 to 17 Years of Age-Sexual Contact but Not Defined as Lewd and Willfully Possessing or Accessing Child Sexually Exploitative Material.
Barnes was arraigned early this afternoon in Lewiston; a preliminary hearing was set for March 29th. He bonded out of the Nez Perce County Adult Detention Center prior to the arraignment; the bond had been set at $25,000. A no-contact order was put into place between Barnes and the alleged victim.
Barnes was originally arrested in California in December 2018 after he had traveled to Lewiston from Lemoore, California to meet a 16-year-old girl he had allegedly been having an online relationship with between October and December of that year.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Barnes was working for a solar company and had requested to work in the Lewiston area. Barnes stayed at a North Lewiston motel between November 27th and 30th, 2018.
His boss at the time previously had suspicions that Barnes was having a sexual relationship with the girl, court documents say.
Prior to Barnes heading to the Lewis-Clark Valley from California, his boss reportedly told him to leave the company’s Apple iPad behind.
“In opening the [iPad] he found the Facebook Messenger application was still open. Upon looking at the conversation with [the] 16 year old female, [he] could see that Barnes and [the girl] were exchanging nude photos and videos of a very sexual nature,” the affidavit says.
On December 2, 2018, the boss contacted the Lewiston Police Department and forwarded screenshots of the conversation between Barnes and the female that allegedly started on October 27, 2018, and continued through December 2, 2018.
The boss informed police that Barnes was driving a rental car, a 2018 gray Chrysler 300 with unknown California plates, from Lewiston back to California.
A detective interviewed the female and reportedly confirmed that she began conversing with Barnes around October 27, 2018. She couldn’t remember who started the conversation and/or the exact times, the affidavit says.
The female allegedly told the detective that once Barnes came to Lewiston on November 28th, they made arrangements to meet at Airport Park. They then went to his motel room where the girl reportedly admitted to having sexual contact with Barnes.
“[She] said they also had sexual intercourse in his car as well on a different night that he was here. She said this took place in Lewiston, Idaho in an alleyway. She didn’t know where,” according to the affidavit.
The girl also reportedly told the detective that she sent Barnes approximately 100 nude photos and videos and he sent her approximately 100 photos and videos in return, court documents say, adding that she admitted that she knew Barnes was 24 years old and that he was aware she was only 16.
Barnes was arrested in California on three felony counts related to Communicating With a Minor With Intent to Commit Specified Acts, Arrangements of Meeting With a Minor for the Purpose of Engaging in Certain Lewd and Lascivious Behavior, and Possession of Child Pornography. He initially pled not guilty to the charges and was released on bond, according to records with the Kings County Superior Court in Hanford, California.
After several continuances, court records show that Barnes failed to appear for a hearing, and a bench warrant was issued on July 15, 2019. He was arrested again in early August 2019.
Prior to trial, Barnes pled guilty to one of the charges and the State dismissed the other two, court records say. He was sentenced to 16 months in prison, beginning on October 9, 2019, with credit for 91 days already served. He received a Conduct Credit of 90 days the Court says.
