Boise man sentenced for sexually abusing a child. It won’t be his last court hearing

A Boise man found guilty of sexually abusing a child and trying to solicit the child’s murder now knows his sentence, at least in one of his cases. He faces at least one more sentencing hearing.

Bryon Ely, 62, was sentenced Tuesday to serve at least 15 years in an Idaho prison, and could serve up to 30. In March, a jury found Ely guilty on one count of lewd conduct with a child under 16. He was also ordered not to contact the victim for the duration of his sentence.

The March conviction stemmed from one of three cases against Ely.

Ely was arrested and charged with lewd conduct in July 2019 after investigators learned that he sexually abused a 7-year-old girl in March 2019. After his arrest, police say he tried to hire two different people to kidnap or kill the child victim and her parents.

The two people who Ely tried to recruit told police that Ely offered to give them a gun and money. Both reported Ely’s offers to police, who began to investigate. Authorities charged Ely with two counts of criminal solicitation to commit a crime in separate cases, as one was filed in February 2020 and the other in October.

Ely went to trial for the lewd conduct charge in March. A jury returned with a guilty verdict, setting up Tuesday’s sentencing.

“I want to commend the young victim for her bravery and courage in coming forward and throughout the case,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts in a news release.

In April, a jury found Ely guilty on one count of criminal solicitation. His sentencing is scheduled for July 7, and he faces a maximum sentence of up to 12.5 years in prison.

A jury trial in Ely’s third case, which also consists of one count of criminal solicitation, is set to begin June 2.

As of Friday, Ely remained in the custody of the Ada County Jail. He will be transferred to the Idaho Department of Correction to begin his prison sentence.