Lewiston man suspected of child and animal sex abuse appears in court

Courtesy of the Cache County Jail

LOGAN — A 19-year-old Lewiston man suspected of sex abuse has been arraigned in court, a day after state attorneys filed a formal charge against him.

Christopher R. VanDam appeared in 1st District Court Tuesday morning. Monday, prosecutors charged him with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.

Cache County Sheriff’s deputies booked VanDam last week on suspicion of sodomy on a child, sex abuse of a child, sexual battery and bestiality. Investigators claim at least five victims were abused, ranging in age from four-to-13-years-old.

The charge alleges the abuse occurred in August 2017. Investigators believe that it was ongoing for several years.

During Tuesday’s hearing, public defender Shannon Demler said he had just been assigned to represent VanDam. He asked the court to give him a couple weeks to research the case.

Judge Brian Cannell set another hearing date for March 6. He ordered VanDam to remain in jail, on $25,000 bail.

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