Honduran National Sentenced to 26 Years in Idaho Falls Child Sex Assault Case
Idaho Falls Man Faces Decades Behind Bars for Lewd Conduct With Seven-Year-Old Girl
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — A 53-year-old Honduran national has been sentenced to 26 years in an Idaho state prison — with no possibility of parole for eight years — after pleading guilty to lewd conduct with a child under 16 in connection with the sexual assault of a seven-year-old Idaho Falls girl.
Jose Everado Vidal Leonor was sentenced in Bonneville County following an Alford plea entered on October 6, in which he acknowledged the strength of the evidence against him while maintaining his innocence. The Alford plea resulted in a reduction of the original charge — one count of rape involving a victim under 16 and a perpetrator over 18 — to the lesser charge of lewd conduct with a child under 16.
The incident at the center of the case occurred in June 2025. According to court documents, the victim’s family had left the young girl alone at home with Leonor. The assault was interrupted when two witnesses returned to the residence. The first witness reportedly opened a bedroom door and discovered Leonor in the act of assaulting the child. A second witness told police they observed Leonor naked on top of the girl. The intervention of those witnesses brought the assault to an end and ultimately led to Leonor’s arrest.
Federal Immigration Detainer Ensures Deportation Proceedings Upon Release
Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal confirmed that Leonor is currently subject to a federal immigration detainer. That detainer means that upon his eventual release from Idaho state custody — at the earliest after serving the mandatory minimum — Leonor will be transferred to federal immigration authorities for potential deportation proceedings back to Honduras.
The case highlights ongoing concerns in Idaho and across the nation regarding illegal immigrants who commit violent crimes against American citizens, particularly children. Federal immigration detainers are civil holds placed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on individuals in state or local custody who are believed to be in the country illegally, requesting that local authorities notify ICE before releasing the individual so that federal agents can take custody.
Bonneville County is located in eastern Idaho, a region that has seen increasing coordination between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Franklin County, Idaho recently became the second county in the state to sign a 287(g) agreement with ICE, joining a federal task force that allows local deputies to perform certain immigration enforcement functions. Such agreements are gaining traction in Idaho as communities seek stronger tools to remove individuals in the country illegally who pose public safety risks.
The sentencing of Leonor comes as Idaho prosecutors and law enforcement agencies continue to push for strict accountability in cases involving crimes against children. The 26-year sentence, combined with an eight-year parole ineligibility period, ensures the convicted offender will remain incarcerated well into his 70s before any possibility of release into the community.
For more on how Idaho is addressing the intersection of violent crime and illegal immigration, visit Idaho News for statewide coverage.
What Comes Next
Jose Everado Vidal Leonor will begin serving his 26-year sentence in Idaho state custody. He will not be eligible for parole consideration for eight years. Upon completion of his state sentence, federal immigration authorities are expected to take him into custody under the existing immigration detainer, at which point he will face formal deportation proceedings to Honduras. Bonneville County officials have not indicated whether any additional charges related to the incident remain pending. The identities of the two witnesses who intervened and the victim’s family members have not been publicly released. The victim, who was seven years old at the time of the assault in June 2025, is receiving no further public identification in accordance with standard practice protecting child victims of sexual crimes.