The man with a long criminal record who previously tried to run a nonprofit connected to a slain Ada County Sheriff's deputy is facing new child sex abuse charges.
Samuel Ferrell, 36, is accused of soliciting a 15-year-old girl for sex, having her produce explicit Snapchat messages and preparing false evidence – all felonies. Police charged him with these crimes on April 16.
Court documents say he conspired with another registered sex offender earlier this spring to coerce the girl, including Ferrell requesting legal custody over the child.
Ferrell has previously been convicted of lewd conduct with a child, filing fraudulent checks and misdemeanor assault.
As Boise State Public Radio first reported last year, he also tried to establish a nonprofit honoring Ada County Sheriff’s Deputy Tobin Bolter, who was killed in the line of duty in 2024.
Bolter’s family disavowed Ferrell after we approached them with evidence of Ferrell’s extensive criminal past.
He has yet to enter a plea in this latest case, but is out of custody after posting a $100,000 bond. His attorney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ferrell’s preliminary hearing in Ada County is set for July 2.
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