Kootenai man charged with lewd conduct

SANDPOINT — A Kootenai man made an initial appearance Monday on three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor.

The allegations against Tyler John Christianson were disclosed to the alleged victim's counselor in Montana, who reported them to authorities in Idaho, court records indicate.

The alleged victim, 15, said the misconduct began with a game of Truth or Dare, progressed to questions about sex and culminated with a sexual assault, according to a probable cause affidavit. Christianson is accused of touching the girl's genitals in 2017 and forcing her to perform oral sex in 2017, a criminal complaint alleges.

The teen told investigators that Christianson molested her in Deer Park, Wash., and at a home on Baldy Mountain. The teen said Christianson would roughhouse with her in order to touch her inappropriately, the affidavit said.

The teen told sheriff's officials that Christianson vowed to have sex with the teen, a threat she believes Chritianson would have made good on had his housing arrangements not gotten in the way, according to the affidavit. She further alleged that Christianson threatened to disclose the abuse and blame the misconduct on her and seemed proud of his actions, the affidavit said.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for Wednesday.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com or followed on Twitter at @KeithDailyBee.