IDAHO FALLS — A 47-year-old man was arrested after Idaho Falls Police say he used his cell phone to take indecent photos of young children.
On Monday, employees at the Idaho Youth Ranch Thrift Store on Woodruff Ave. called police and reported an unidentified man was taking photos under the skirts of two young girls with his phone.
The man left the store before police arrived, but was identified through security camera footage as Merle Parsons, of Idaho Falls. Idaho Falls Police spokeswoman Joelyn Hansen told EastIdahoNews.com Parsons was covertly using his phone to take photos under girl’s skirts. Parsons is a registered sex offender, but police were unable to locate him at his registered address.
On Wednesday night, police located Parsons at a home near U.S. Highway 20 and Hitt Road. Parsons was found in possession of multiple images of child pornography on his cell phone.
Parsons has an extensive criminal history related to sex crimes. Court records show that in 1993 Parsons pleaded guilty to felony lewd conduct with child under 16. In 2009 Parsons was charged again with lewd conduct in Jefferson County, that charged was dismissed. Parsons has several felony charges for failing to register as a sex offender and two misdemeanors for failing to register. He also has a misdemeanor charge for unlawful access to a school.
Parsons is held in the Bonneville County Jail on a felony charge of failing to register a change of address, felony possession of child pornography and misdemeanor disturbing the peace. He has no bond at this time.
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