Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
CRESTON — The Superior Court hearing for Mathew S. Chafin, 35, was postponed on Tuesday, Feb. 11, after officials noted that the court lacked contact information for him.
However, the Department of Corrections does have his contact details. The hearing has been rescheduled to an unspecified, later-to-be-determined date.
Chafin, who was arrested on Dec. 12, 2020, is facing a charge of first-degree child molestation. The hearing was intended to address a motion and affidavit for an order determining the existence of probable cause, directing the issuance of a warrant, and setting bail.
According to court documents, prosecutors had moved to set bail at $50,000, with the option of surety or cash.
The charges stem from an investigation that began on Oct. 28, 2020, when a Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to Creston School District.
Records show that principal Armand reported that a concerned mother had come forward with allegations of abuse occurring at home.
According to court records, on Dec. 17, 2020, the child and her mother went to the Partners with Families and Children office in Spokane, where a forensic interview was conducted with a Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputy present.
Chafin reportedly admitted to the allegations during the investigation, stating that “it was all true,” according to court documents.
He allegedly told authorities that he had been “having a bad day” during one of the incidents and attributed his actions to personal struggles, including unemployment, housing instability, and substance use.
Reports indicate that Chafin had consumed four shots of vodka, two beers, and smoked five to six bowls of marijuana on the day of the alleged misconduct.
Following his arrest, Chafin reportedly requested psychological help and counseling.
Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Lucas B. Mallon took Chafin into custody, and he made his first court appearance on Dec. 15, 2020.
Olivia Harnack is the award-winning managing editor/photographer/videographer/columnist at the Lincoln County Record-Times, with offices in both Davenport and Odessa, Wash. She is a University of Idaho graduate and a U.S. Army National Guardsman.
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