Moyie Springs man set for trial on lewd conduct charges

July 15, 2022

Josiyah Nathaniel Skinner

A three day trial is set to begin in the Boundary County Court at 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 27, for a Moyie Springs man facing two counts of lewd conduct with a minor for allegedly sexually molesting two of his three children, ages four and six. Josiyah Nathaniel Skinner, 30, faces up to life in prison on each count, if convicted.

According to court documents, the case came to light January 15, 2019, during a developmental preschool class discussion at Valley View Elementary on what students did when they got scared during a thunderstorm.

"Crawl into bed with mom and dad," most said, but one four year old refused to participate. When pressed, the boy said he didn't like to go into his parents' room because "daddy puts his peepee in my mouth and I don't like it."

The boy and his sister, 6, were taken to see a school counselor, where he repeated those words, only to be shushed by his sister, also a student at Valley View.

"We aren't supposed to talk about that," she said.

"Well, he did it."

"Dad put his penis in my mouth, too," she admitted to the counselor, who contacted Bonners Ferry Police and a social worker with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Determining the children to be in imminent danger of continued abuse at their home, the children were immediately placed in protective custody.

Investigation indicated that the abuse of both children had been going on since October, 2018. Criminal charges against Skinner were filed November 2, 2021.

Judge Barbara Buchanan will hear the case, with prosecutor Andrakay Pluid representing the state and public defender Linda Payne will represent Skinner.