BOISE, Idaho — A 25-year-old former youth pastor in Meridian has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a minor.
According to the Ada County Prosecutor's Office, Isaiah Teague engaged in abuse of a 14-year-old female victim over the course of a year.
A "trusted family friend," Teague used his role as a youth pastor to abuse the victim in his home while his wife and child slept nearby.
During their investigation, detectives with the Meridian Police Department found evidence demonstrating that Teague started "grooming the child" in June of 2024. This grooming began with kissing and touching, and eventually led to repeated sexual assaults.
At one point, Teague threatened to make the victim "disappear" if she told anyone about the ongoing abuse. The mother of the victim ultimately uncovered the abuse when she found messages on her daughter's phone discussing the abuse with a friend.
Teague admitted to the sexual conduct but insisted that it was consensual. The defendant later pleaded guilty to felony lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor.
During the sentencing, District Judge Cynthia Yee-Wallace lambasted Teague for his criminal conduct and lack of remorse.
"The court found that Teague minimized his actions, blamed the victim, and posed a high risk of committing similar crimes in the future." Ada County Proscutor's Office
Justice Yee-Wallace went on to emphasize how Teague used a position of trust to abuse the victim, all the while teaching lessons on morality to the youth.
“This defendant held himself out as a trusted adult while repeatedly sexually abusing a child and using threats to keep her silent,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “The court’s sentence reflects the profound betrayal involved, the permanent harm to the victim, and the necessity of protecting the community from further abuse.”
Teague will now serve life behind bars with a minimum of 20-years fixed. He will also be subject to a no-contact order for the next 50 years that bars him from contacting the victim or other minors.
