Rickets pleads guilty, Therrian's charges dropped

WALLACE — Ryan Rickets entered guilty pleas for two of his four charges stemming from an incident that happened earlier this year near the Nuchols Gulch area of Osburn.

Rickets, who was seen by District Judge Scott Wayman at Monday's Law Day, pled guilty to felony unlawful possession of a firearm and to a misdemeanor resisting arrest charge, but had felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor assault charges dismissed.

Earlier this year, it was reported by the News-Press that Rickets had a disagreement with a neighbor concerning the lighting of fireworks over the course of multiple days. On July 1, deputies from the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene.

The responding deputies arrived on scene and witnessed Rickets walk out of a residence and onto a balcony while holding a firearm.

According to the deputies, Rickets then fired several rounds into the ground within the deputies line-of-sight, who then retreated and called for additional units to assist with scene containment, including officers with the Osburn Police Department and the Idaho State Police.

During the incident, it was discovered that Rickets’ girlfriend, Heather Therrian, was also in the home along with two children. Therrian exited the home following negotiations between Rickets and law enforcement, then Rickets used the releasing of the children as a cover for his own escape out the back of the house and up into the hillside.

Deputies then watched the home until Rickets returned to it Thursday afternoon and took him into custody later that evening.

For her involvement, Therrian was later charged with concealing evidence and felony accessory concealing or harboring a felon.

Shoshone County Prosecuting Attorney Keisha Oxendine looked at the situation as a whole, including how the charges of Rickets and Therrian were intertwined with another, and made her recommendation to the judge based on the history of the individuals involved.

Rickets’ guilty pleas came as part of a deal wherein if he assumed responsibility for his actions, Therrian’s charges would be dropped.

“A review of Rickets’ history shows we have concerns for public safety with his case,” Oxendine said. “Whether he pleads or is found guilty of one or more than one count, he is likely to receive a concurrent sentence. As a result, we made an offer consistent with being able to recommend a prison sentence. A review of Therrian’s history indicates she has no criminal history of concern. In addition, she had been pursuing rehabilitative efforts during pretrial release. As a result, where Rickets was willing to take responsibility for his actions if Therrian’s charges were dismissed, we felt that this was a good outcome for both cases.”

Judge Scott Wayman tentatively set Rickets’ sentencing for February, where he could face up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines for the firearms charge, plus one year and $1,000 for the resisting arrest charge.

According to iCourt, Rickets was found guilty of misdemeanor battery/domestic violence in 2017 and was also charged with aggravated battery in 2018, but those charges were eventually dismissed.