Teenager Sentenced In Phone Sex Case

A 17-year-old Spirit Lake youth will serve up to three years in juvenile detention after admitting he made thousands of dollars of calls to telephone sex services and billed them to Hayden residents.

Kootenai County Magistrate Judge Robert Burton on Friday sentenced the youth to custody which could extend until his 21st birthday. The youth turns 18 this week.

Under current juvenile laws, his name will not be made public because he is a minor.

The teen earlier admitted making $17,000 in calls to a phone sex line last fall, billing the calls to more than 50 Hayden residents. Deputy Prosecutor Barry Black said he tried for the strictest possible sentence for the youth, who is from Spirit Lake, because he has had several run-ins with the law and failed to complete previous rehabilitation programs.