David Wilder, 53, Faces $5 Million Bail on Child Sex Abuse Charges

A Kootenai County grand jury indicted David E. Wilder, 53, on five felony counts tied to the sexual abuse of two children, and a judge issued a $5 million arrest warrant that kept him out of custody for nearly a month before his arrest.

The indictment, returned in early February, charges Wilder with two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 16, two counts of sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 16, and one count of sexual exploitation of a child by possessing sexually explicit material. A Kootenai County judge issued the $5 million warrant on Feb. 4. Wilder was arrested and booked into the Kootenai County Jail on March 4 and remains in custody.

Court records allege the abuse occurred between August 2015 and April 2016 across both Bonner and Kootenai counties. Prosecutors allege Wilder abused two children who were between 13 and 15 years old at the time and committed other acts "not amounting to lewd conduct." A separate allegation tied to the possession count states that in April 2025, Wilder allegedly possessed a video of an adult sexually abusing a teen.

The potential consequences are severe. In Idaho, sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 16 carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. Lewd conduct with a child under the age of 16 carries a maximum possible penalty of life in prison.

Wilder is scheduled for arraignment on March 31, at which point he will enter a formal plea. No plea has been reported as of the time of publication, and Wilder is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Anyone experiencing domestic violence or sexual abuse can reach Safe Passage around the clock by calling 208-664-9303 or texting 208-449-7228.