Former local jail deputy found guilty of child sexual abuse after trial

IDAHO FALLS — A erstwhile Bonneville County jailhouse lawman was recovered blameworthy of kid intersexual maltreatment aft a six-day assemblage trial.

Robert Bluhm, 56, was recovered blameworthy by a assemblage of felony rape of a unfortunate nether 16 years of age, felony lewd behaviour pinch a kid nether 16, and felony forcible penetration by usage of a overseas object.

He is scheduled to beryllium sentenced connected Aug. 12 earlier District Judge Michael Whyte, wherever he could look up to life successful prison.

Background

Court documents opportunity nan lawsuit was first reported to nan Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office successful June 2022. During a forensic interview, a insignificant unfortunate stated Bluhm “makes her slumber pinch him successful his furniture and touches her.”

The unfortunate besides said Bluhm was abusive to nan victim’s mother and alleged she had seen him “striking her connected nan head, pushing her disconnected nan sofa and saying unkind words” to her.

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Police reports authorities erstwhile nan unfortunate was picked up by Child Protective Services to spell to nan forensic interview, Bluhm whispered thing successful her receptor to nan grade of, “If you show (censored) you (censored) will ne'er spot maine aliases your mom again.”

The unfortunate besides stated she often woke up to Bluhm raping her.

On Aug. 16, nan unfortunate was seen by a pediatric S.A.N.E. (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurse. She was recovered to person extended soul scarring that constabulary reports opportunity was caused by trauma and/or intersexual abuse. The unfortunate told nan caregiver she was being sexually abused each time she was pinch Bluhm, and that it progressive being abused pinch overseas objects.

Court documents opportunity nan unfortunate said if she were to spell backmost to Bluhm’s house, she would “either beryllium beaten, raped, extremity up pregnant aliases extremity up dead.”

During an question and reply pinch nan victim’s mother, nan mother told investigators nan behaviour began successful 2021 erstwhile she asked Bluhm for a divorce. The kid intersexual maltreatment allegedly started soon after.

On Aug. 29, a hunt warrant was executed connected Bluhm’s location and he was arrested and booked into nan Jefferson County Jail because of his erstwhile activity arsenic a jailhouse lawman astatine nan Bonneville County Jail.

Bluhm pleaded not blameworthy to each 3 charges, but was recovered blameworthy connected each counts aft a trial.