UPDATE: Former daycare worker sentenced on 24 counts of child sex abuse
Caldwell, ID – Bryan Taylor, Canyon County Prosecutor, announced today that Joshua Ritchie, age 23, of Nampa, was sentenced by Judge Bradley Ford for the felony crimes of Lewd Conduct with a Minor, nine counts, Sexual Abuse of a Minor Child, one count, and Possession of Sexual Exploitative Material, two counts.
Judge Ford sentenced Ritchie to a minimum of 32 years, up to life in prison for each of the Lewd Conduct charges and sentenced Ritchie to the maximum of 25 years for the Sexual Abuse charge and 10 years for Possession of Sexually Exploitative Material. These sentences are to run concurrent. The State had requested a life fixed sentence or at a minimum 42 years fixed and life indeterminate. Ritchie was also ordered to register as a Sex Offender and pay each child a $5,000 civil penalty.
The twenty-four boys were between the ages of 4-14 at the time the sexual abuse occurred and the majority of the children attended the daycare where Ritchie worked. “(It is unfair) that my former employers are being forced to bear my burden; these mistakes are my own and taking it out on an innocent bystander (like the daycare owner) is not fair,” said Ritchie during sentencing. There is no evidence the daycare was aware of the abuse which was occurring and in fact, the owner’s children were victims of Ritchie.
“He is a pedophile and targets young boys…. at the time you were committed these offense, you demonstrated little or no moral compass,” Judge Ford told Ritchie during the sentencing. “Mr. Richie you are punished for your actions.”
Prosecuting Attorney Bryan Taylor added, “Through his repeated criminal actions, Mr. Ritchie has proved that he has no regard for the innocent children in this community. He belongs behind bars, and today’s sentence ensures that he will remain there for a long, long time.”
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