Court taking up Bonner County man's appeal

SANDPOINT — The Idaho Court of Appeals is slated to take up the case of a Bonner County is serving a life sentence after being convicted of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor.

Mark Richard Boncz was accused of molesting a 5-year-old girl in Priest River in 2005, but was not brought to trial until 2009. A grand jury indicted Boncz and he pleaded not guilty to the offense.

Boncz was accused of targeting and grooming the victim to slake his sexual desires.

A jury was meant to decide the case against Boncz, but a mistrial was declared when a prospective juror questioned during the selection process whether she could be fair and impartial in light of Boncz’s conviction for sexual abuse in 1987.

For the rest of this story, see our print edition or subscribe to our e-edition.