NAMPA, Idaho — A former Nampa priest was sentenced Wednesday in Canyon County District Court after pleading guilty earlier this year in a sexual abuse case involving a minor.
Robert Mendez Esquivel pleaded guilty in January to one count of felony sexual battery involving a 16- to 17-year-old, stemming from a 2025 investigation.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with 3 years fixed and 12 years indeterminate.
Mendez was arrested in August 2025 after Nampa police opened an investigation into allegations involving a teenage victim. Court records say the victim and Mendez met through a dating app before meeting in person in Nampa.
READ MORE | Trial delayed for Nampa priest accused of raping a teenager
Investigators said the two met at a Nampa park where a sexual act occurred. Police said the victim was not connected to St. Paul’s Catholic Church or its school, where Mendez had served as a priest beginning in 2022.
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