Idaho Prison Inmate Sentenced to 20 Years for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Child

 BOISE – An inmate in the Idaho Department of Correction, serving prison sentences for rape and lewd conduct with a minor under sixteen, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a child.

According to court records, Cole Alexander Pipkin, 30, originally of Kellogg, used a prison e-mail account to send messages to an adult woman living in Idaho between February and May 2019. In the messages, Pipkin attempted to persuade, induce, and entice three children, ages 8, 7, and 5, to engage in sexual activity with him upon his release from prison. In the e-mails, Pipkin promised the adult money and other incentives to persuade the adult to permit him to have sexual contact with the children. Pipkin’s e-mails graphically described the sexual acts he wanted to commit with the children, requested that the adult send him sexually explicit images of children, and included messages intended for the children referencing sexual acts.

Pipkin is a repeat sex offender, currently serving state prison terms for a 2009 conviction for rape from Shoshone County, and a 2010 conviction for lewd conduct with a minor under sixteen from Kootenai County. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye ordered Pipkin’s federal sentence to run consecutively to the state sentences. Judge Nye also ordered that Pipkin be placed on lifetime supervised release upon completion of his federal term of imprisonment. Pipkin will be required to register as a sex offender upon release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Rafael M. Gonzalez, Jr., of the District of Idaho made the announcement and commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Idaho Department of Correction, which led to charges. “We have aggressively pursued those who thrive on exploiting and victimizing the innocent. Together with our local, state, and federal partners throughout Idaho, we will continue to do everything in our power to protect our nation’s greatest asset - our children!”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.