FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Date: | June 4, 2020 |
| Contact: | Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700 |
| RE: | State v. William Rhoton Sentencing |
BOISE – William Rhoton, 66, was sentenced Thursday to seven years fixed in prison for concealing evidence in the death of his mother and stealing her pension funds.
Mr. Rhoton was arrested and charged in June 2019 with several felonies, including failing to notify authorities of a death, concealing or altering evidence, grand theft by deception and forgery. The investigation began after family contacted the Ada County Sheriff’s Office with concerns they had not heard from their family member, Barbara Rhoton. Eventually the investigation led them to the discovery of the victim’s body.
Mr. Rhoton pleaded guilty Feb. 19, 2020 to felony concealment or alteration of evidence and grand theft by deception. He admitted to concealing his mother’s death since May 2018 and during that time had been collecting her pension funds and social security checks. As part of the plea deal Mr. Rhoton took in February, he agreed to pay $47,735.72 in restitution.
Ada County Prosecutors requested a 14-year prison sentence for Mr. Rhoton.
Ada County District Judge Jason Scott ordered Mr. Rhoton to serve seven years in prison, with no possibility of parole, and pay the maximum aggregate fine of $15,000 for the charges, as well as the agreed upon restitution.
“I extend my condolences to the victim’s family,” said Ada County Prosecutor, Jan M. Bennetts. “Thank you to both the Ada County Sheriff’s detectives for their investigation and to my office’s investigative unit in securing additional evidence, following up with witnesses and evaluating records that aided in Mr. Rhoton’s prosecution.”