Richard Cowell pleads guilty; state recommends 44 years in prison

SANDPOINT — Richard Cowell III pled guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit lewd conduct with a minor under 16, as well as the overt acts of sexual misconduct he committed with his wife, Katherine Cowell, as part of a plea deal Tuesday.

Cowell also entered into an Alford plea for one count of lewd conduct with a minor under 16, meaning the court entered into the guilty plea on his behalf, so Cowell would not have to elaborate on or admit to any of the specifics of the charge. An Alford plea still bears the same consequences as a standard guilty plea.

Cowell originally pled not guilty April 4 to charges of criminal conspiracy and rape of a minor victim under 16 years old. However, as part of a June 26 pretrial settlement agreement with state prosecutors, signed by District Judge Susie Jensen at the July 1 change of plea hearing, the rape charge was amended to lewd conduct with a minor under 16 years old. 

In exchange, Cowell agreed to plead guilty to both charges, waive his right to appeal and pay restitution to the victims. 

State prosecutors recommended in the settlement agreement that Cowell, 55, should be given two consecutive 22-year prison sentences for the two felonies, meaning Cowell would be released at the age of 99. The sentencing hearing has been set for Nov. 3 at 1:30 p.m. At the hearing, the presiding judge will have the ability to exceed the recommended sentencing cap, to sentence Cowell to up to life in prison.

Because the case was resolved through a plea agreement, the scheduled jury trial will not take place, sparing the victims from further public testimony and cross-examination. At a March preliminary hearing, about 40 members of the public heard the victims’ initial statements, which were followed by detailed and graphic questioning from defense attorneys. 

Katherine Cowell’s trial remains scheduled to begin July 14. She faces charges of criminal conspiracy and lewd conduct with a minor under 16. Prosecutors allege she conspired with her husband to sexually abuse a minor, an act that Richard Cowell III has now pled guilty to.

“A plea in Richard Cowell’s case does not legally impact Katherine Cowell’s presumption of innocence in any charges she may be facing,” said Boundary County Prosecuting Attorney Andrakay Pluid, who is not involved in either case. “From a practical standpoint, it could make a defense more challenging.” 

Police arrested the married couple Feb. 5 at their Naples home, which doubled as an unlicensed child daycare, over charges of lewd conduct with a minor. 

Richard and Katherine Cowell opened Little Zookeepers Daycare in 2019, but the alleged child abuse took place between 2012 and 2015, according to court records. The daycare announced its permeant closure Feb. 11, six days after the arrest. 

During the March 17 joint preliminary hearing for Richard and Katherine Cowell, the alleged victims testified they were coerced into sexual relationships as minors.   

The first victim, 26, testified, followed by the second victim, 24. After identifying the Cowells in the room, they described incidents of alleged abuse as well as the process of coming forward to law enforcement.  

During his testimony, the first victim alleged he was coerced into a sexual relationship with Katherine Cowell between the ages of 15 and 17 years old. He said he was prompted to come forward to law enforcement after recognizing in other children similar behaviors to those he experienced during the alleged abuse.  

“I saw wrongdoing and abuse in the actions of [Katherine and Richard Cowell],” he testified. “I could no longer bear to see any of that go on.” 

The day after the arrests were made, the second victim came forward, telling law enforcement that she had been coerced into a sexual relationship with Richard Cowell from ages 14 to 20, testified Boundary County Sheriff’s Office Det. Caleb Watts at the preliminary hearing.