FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Date: | July 13, 2022 |
| Contact: | Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700 |
| RE: | State v. Joseph Ribich – Sentencing |
BOISE – A 58-year-old man will serve life in prison for lewd conduct with a minor.
On July 6th, Honorable Ada County District Judge James Cawthon sentenced Joseph Ribich to three concurrent, fixed life sentences for three counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16. He was also sentenced for four other felonies in this case.
Mr. Ribich was arrested in April 2021, after an investigation found the defendant sexually abused a minor over the course of several months from August 2018 to January 2019.
As a result of the investigation, Mr. Ribich was charged with the following:
– four lewd conduct with a minor under 16 charges,
– two counts of sexual abuse of a minor under 16,
– intimidating a witness,
-delivering a controlled substance,
– distributing a drug to a person under the age of 18.
In April 2022, a jury found the defendant guilty of seven of the nine charges. Mr. Ribich was also found guilty of an enhancement for being a persistent violator as a previously registered sex offender. He was acquitted on one lewd conduct charge and witness intimidation.
“This sentence Judge Cawthon handed down emphasizes the seriousness of these offenses and sends a message that those who prey on children will be held accountable for their actions,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “Thank you to the Boise Police detectives who worked hard on this investigation.”