National

Police chief turns in brother, sister-in-law accused in sex abuse case, ID officials say

The couple face charges in a sex abuse case, authorities said.
The couple face charges in a sex abuse case, authorities said. Getty Images/iStock photo

A police chief in northeast Idaho turned in his brother and sister-in-law accused of child sex abuse, news reports say.

Richard G. Cowell III, 54, and Katherine Cowell, 50, both of Bonners Ferry, were arrested Feb. 5, the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office said in a Feb. 6 news release.

The Bonners Ferry police chief, Willie Cowell, turned in his brother to sheriff’s officials, a spokesperson from the Boundary County Office of Emergency Management told KREM.

Richard Cowell faces a charge of criminal conspiracy and Katherine Cowell faces a charge of lewd conduct with a child under 16, KREM reported.

Investigators say there may be additional victims.

They ask anyone with more information to call 208-267-3151.

“The safety and well-being of children in Boundary County is our utmost priority,” said Boundary County Sheriff Travis Stolley in the news release.

The case will be prosecuted by Bonner County, KXLY reported.

Bonners Ferry is about a 530-mile drive north of Boise.

If you suspect a child has experienced, is currently experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, your first step should be to contact the appropriate agency. The Child Welfare Information Gateway has a list of state agencies you can contact. Find help specific to your area here.

For additional help, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline has professional crisis counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. You can call or text 1-800-422-4453.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call 911 for help.

Read Next
Read Next
Read Next

This story was originally published February 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Police chief turns in brother, sister-in-law accused in sex abuse case, ID officials say."

DS
Don Sweeney
The Sacramento Bee
916-321-1028
Don Sweeney has been a newspaper reporter and editor in California for more than 35 years. He is a service reporter based at The Sacramento Bee.
Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW