Man faces lewd conduct charge

SANDPOINT — A former Bonner County resident has been arrested on charges he fondled an 8-year-old boy in 1999.

David Howard McElhaney is charged with lewd conduct with a child under the age of 16. He is also accused of violating probation on an unrelated drunken-driving charge dating back to 2003.

McElhaney appeared in magistrate court Friday via video feed to hear the charges read against him. Judge Justin Julian ordered McElhaney to spend five days in jail on the probation violation and sustained $5,000 bail.

Charging papers allege McElhaney fondled the boy in March 1999.

McElhaney, 54, was reportedly living in Hawaii, but was expected to return to northern Idaho,

court documents indicate. McElhaney had been serving his probation in Knoxville, Tenn. so he could help his sister care for their ailing mother.

The Tennessee Department of Probation and Parole said they had lost contact with McElhaney. His ex-wife told investigators he lived in Tennessee for approximately two months, but relocated to Hawaii.

Probation officials sought McElhaney's arrest because he never notified them of the move to Hawaii, although he had already been picked up on the lewd conduct charge.