A former Bannock County deputy coroner appeared in court this week facing a total of 17 felony charges after investigators uncovered child sexual abuse material on his cellphone, compounding an already serious set of charges filed against him in late May.
Jonathan Ray Farnsworth, 54, who is no longer employed by the Bannock County Coroner’s Office, was initially arrested on May 28 on six felony counts — four counts of lewd conduct with a child, one count of sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of rape. Those charges stemmed from reports made to the Pocatello Police Department by two women who alleged abuse that took place when they were younger. One woman said the abuse began when she was as young as 5 years old. Both women reported incidents of abuse at age 15.
Phone Forensics Yield 11 Additional Charges
Following the initial arrest, investigators sought and received approval for a search warrant on Farnsworth’s cellphone on June 2. A forensic scan of the device was completed the following day, with a full review of the phone’s contents wrapping up on June 4. That examination turned up 11 pieces of child sexual abuse material depicting children ranging in age from toddlers to 13 years old.
Prosecutors filed 11 additional felony counts of CSAM possession on June 8, bringing the total number of felony charges against Farnsworth to 17. The new charges add significant legal exposure on top of the original allegations and reflect the seriousness with which law enforcement and the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office are pursuing the case.
Court Hearing Produces Delay, July Date Set
Magistrate Judge Carol Jarman presided over a preliminary hearing on the matter earlier this week. Farnsworth’s newly retained defense attorney, Allen Browning — who had been hired that same morning — filed a waiver of time for the preliminary hearing. As a result, the proceeding was rescheduled to July 14 at 1:30 p.m.
The court has also assigned a public defender to handle the CSAM-related case, though Farnsworth had not yet submitted the required application for that representation as of the hearing date. His circumstances highlight how quickly the legal picture has shifted since his initial arrest roughly two weeks ago.
Cases involving public officials charged with crimes of this nature draw significant community attention, particularly when the accused held a position connected to law enforcement and public safety. Farnsworth’s former role as a deputy coroner placed him in regular contact with law enforcement agencies and county government. His departure from that position has been confirmed, though the specific circumstances surrounding his separation from the office were not detailed in available records.
Child sexual abuse material charges carry severe penalties under Idaho law, and possession charges involving victims as young as toddlers are likely to draw aggressive prosecution. The additional counts also demonstrate how digital forensics have become a central tool in law enforcement investigations of this nature — a single device search uncovering enough evidence to nearly triple the original charge count.
The Pocatello Police Department’s willingness to act on the reports from two separate victims underscores the importance of victim cooperation in cases where abuse allegedly began in childhood and continued over time. Cases like this are rarely straightforward, and law enforcement agencies routinely note that victims coming forward is critical to building a prosecutable case.
This case is not the only recent example of legal troubles touching individuals connected to local government in the region. An Idaho Falls case involving a Ninth Circuit judge facing misdemeanor charges stemming from a parking lot dispute has also drawn scrutiny in recent months, illustrating broader questions about conduct standards for public officials across the state.
What Comes Next
The next scheduled court appearance for Farnsworth is the rescheduled preliminary hearing on July 14 at 1:30 p.m. At that proceeding, a judge will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to bind the case over for trial. Both the original six felony counts and the 11 new CSAM charges are expected to be addressed as the proceedings move forward. Bonneville County News will continue to monitor developments in this case.