SUBJECT: Arrest  

Date: May 11, 2007

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Lt. Mclean

The Post Falls Police Department announced today that a ten-month search for suspect child molester Timothy Eugene Estep came to an end on April 20th.  Mr. Estep was arrested by Vermont State Police when he attempted to re-enter the United States from Canada .  Mr. Estep was arrested on a Post Falls $150,000.00 warrant for lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 16.

On July 24, 2006, the Post Falls Police Department conducted an investigation where Mr. Estep was accused of luring a 12-year-old neighborhood girl into his home and sexually molesting her.  Toward the closure of the investigation Mr. Estep sold his home and fled the area to an unknown location.  Post Falls PD investigators obtained a $150,000 warrant for his arrest and continued their efforts in locating Mr. Estep.

Post Falls Investigators received a break in the investigation when Canadian Authorities in Newfoundland Canada contacted them.  Canadian authorities advised that they had found clothing and a wallet belonging to Mr. Estep near a cliff area.  It appeared to Canadian authorities that Mr. Estep had wanted them to believe he had committed suicide by jumping from the cliffs.  Inconsistencies in the investigation lead Canadian authorities to conclude that he did not commit suicide but rather faked his death.  On April 20, 2007, the Vermont State Police arrested Mr. Estep when he attempted to re-enter the United States near Newport , Vermont .

The Kootenai County Prosecutors office is currently working on extraditing Mr. Estep back to Kootenai County to stand trial from his crime.

The Post Falls Police Department would like to thank the Canadian Authorities as well as the Vermont Authorities in their assistance in taking Mr. Estep into custody.

AUTHOR: Lt. Mclean