Editor’s note: Idaho News 6’s initial coverage referred to the victim as male. Court documents indicate the victim uses she/her pronouns. Out of caution, we will use “they” until further clarity is available.
More details have been released regarding the arrest of Robert Mendez Esquivel, a priest at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Nampa, who was taken into custody Aug. 27 on three felony charges, including one count of rape of a victim between 16 and 17 years old and two counts of sexual battery of a minor between 16 and 17 years old.
Court documents obtained by Idaho News 6 state the 16-year-old victim was “looking for a boyfriend who would be willing to engage in sexual acts with a minor,” using the Grindr dating app
Learn more about the days leading up to Mendez's arrest —
Police said the victim was not connected to St. Paul’s Church or its school. In an interview with investigators, Mendez claimed he did not know the teen’s age and “would not have met them if he knew.”
The victim, however, told police they disclosed their age from the start, saying Mendez commented on “Idaho’s laws being really bad” and also asked what grade they were in. The teen replied, “11th.”
According to court records, Mendez met the victim at their home but declined to go inside because he was “worried about parents.” Instead, the two went to a Nampa park, where the victim said a sexual act occurred.
Investigators said the victim provided details about Mendez’s vehicle after speaking with their counselor about the incident, leading police to identify him as a suspect.
According to the Diocese of Boise, Mendez joined St. Paul’s Parish as a priest in Nampa in August of 2022.
The Diocese of Boise released the following statement regarding Mendez's arrest:
The Diocese of Boise provides this update regarding the recent arrest of Father Robert Mendez Esquivel (Fr. Toto), on serious felony charges involving a 16-year-old adolescent. As part of our pledge to keep the faithful and the public informed, we are sharing details based on the public probable cause affidavit filed in Canyon County Court. We will do our part by continuing to cooperate fully with our local law enforcement.
According to the public probable cause affidavit, the victim and a user identified as Robert (as we know as Fr. Toto) met through a dating application. After meeting the victim, Fr. Toto then drove to a park in Nampa where the sexual activity occurred. Upon being questioned by law enforcement, Fr. Toto admitted to the encounter, though he claimed he was unaware of the victim’s age.
The Nampa Police Department indicated that “the incident that led to his arrest did not involve a juvenile from the church or its affiliated school.” It’s also important to note that the Diocese has no record of any previous criminal complaints.
The Diocese encourages anyone with information about this case to contact the Nampa Police Department at (208) 465-2257 or Crime Stoppers at (208) 343-COPS. Support for victims is available through our Victim Assistance Coordinator at (208) 350-7554.
We will provide further updates as new information becomes available. Fr. Toto’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 11, 2025, in Canyon County Court.
As a community of faith, let’s continue to pray for those involved.
Most Rev. Peter F. Christensen
Bishop of Boise
The investigation remains ongoing to ensure there are no additional victims. Anyone with additional information about the case is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 208-343-2677.
