[BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced that John Demaria, 45, was convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child—a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison.  Demaria was sentenced on June 17, 2024, by District Judge Dane H. Watkins.

Charges against Demaria were filed by the Office of the Attorney General, and Demaria pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Judge Watkins imposed a 15-year unified sentence and ordered Demaria to serve two (2) years fixed and eight (8) years indeterminate on Count I, with zero (0) years fixed and five (5) years indeterminate on Count II. The court ordered that the sentences run consecutively, meaning one after another. Demaria was also ordered to pay court fees. Upon release, Idaho law will require Demaria to register as a sex offender.

“This sentence represents the hard work of investigators and prosecutors in our ICAC Unit,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “Prison is a critical tool in our fight against those who sexually exploit children. The ICAC Unit will continue to hold those predators accountable by arguing for sentences commensurate with this heinous crime. But arresting and sentencing are not enough.  Our ICAC Unit also works with local law enforcement agencies to educate parents and community members on how to protect vulnerable kids from this type of harm in the first place.”

In May 2022 through March 2023, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit received multiple CyberTips from Synchronoss that indicated several files of child sexual abuse material was being uploaded to their cloud network. The number associated with the cloud account was linked back to the defendant, John Demaria. Upon executing a search warrant, investigators learned that Demaria was downloading child sexual abuse material.  Officers searched Demaria’s home and phone, locating hundreds of images – including videos – of child sexual abuse material.  Many of these files depicted prepubescent girls, primarily in the age range of 10-12 years old, engaged in sex acts with adult men.

This prosecution began with an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Madison Allen.