Filer, Idaho Man Sentenced to Prison for Lewd Conduct With Children, Defense Plans Appeal
Hernandez Receives Seven-Year Minimum Sentence in Twin Falls County Case
TWIN FALLS — A Filer man was sentenced Friday to at least seven years in prison for lewd conduct with children, even as his defense attorney maintains his client is innocent and plans to appeal the sentence.
Thomas Grant Hernandez, 38, entered an Alford plea in spring 2025 to two counts of lewd conduct with a child under 16, as part of a plea deal in which he was originally charged with seven felonies. An Alford plea allows a defendant to accept a conviction without admitting guilt. Hernandez later attempted to withdraw his plea, claiming he had been coerced, though prosecutors pushed back sharply on that claim.
District Judge William Hancock handed down a sentence of seven years fixed and 13 years indeterminate for each count, with the terms running concurrently. Hernandez will receive credit for time already served — he never bonded out following his arrest in 2024.
Investigators say the crimes took place in Idaho between 2015 and 2020. Hernandez was charged in July 2024. Records indicate he fled the state as criminal charges were being filed and was later arrested in Butte, Montana.
Prosecution Calls Withdrawal Attempt a ‘Massive Waste of Time’
Deputy Prosecutor Jethelyn Harrington was pointed in her criticism of Hernandez’s attempt to withdraw his verdict, calling it a “massive waste of time.” She highlighted the accounts given by the victims during a CARES interview — a forensic interview process used with child victims — noting that both victims independently described the offenses to investigators without consulting one another. Harrington said the victims’ body language and visible distress during those interviews contradicted any theory that their accounts were fabricated or part of a conspiracy.
Harrington dismissed the defense’s suggestion that the victims’ emotional responses amounted to a “giant conspiracy theory,” making clear the prosecution viewed the evidence as overwhelming and the delay caused by the withdrawal attempt as an unnecessary burden on the court and on the victims.
Hernandez declined to make a statement to the court.
Defense attorney Peter Wood spent much of the Friday hearing — originally scheduled for one hour — challenging the accuracy of pre-sentence reports, arguing they were not completed correctly and that his client should have been assessed as a low risk for reoffending rather than a medium risk. Wood reiterated his belief that Hernandez is innocent and urged Judge Hancock to follow the sentencing recommendations outlined in the plea agreement. Wood confirmed plans to appeal the sentence.
Cases involving crimes against children continue to draw significant attention across Twin Falls County and the broader Magic Valley region. In a separate case, a Twin Falls man was also recently sent to prison on child pornography charges, underscoring the ongoing work of local law enforcement and prosecutors to hold offenders accountable. Authorities and victim advocates have consistently emphasized the long-term harm inflicted on child victims in cases of sexual abuse.
Violent and sex-related crimes are among the most serious matters prosecuted in Twin Falls County District Court. For additional coverage of serious criminal sentencing across Idaho, readers can visit Idaho News for statewide reporting.
What Comes Next
Defense attorney Peter Wood has indicated he intends to appeal Hernandez’s sentence, meaning the case may return before an appellate court at a future date. Hernandez, who has been in custody since his 2024 arrest, will continue serving his sentence while any appeal proceeds. The Twin Falls County Prosecutor’s Office is expected to defend the sentence if challenged. No further court dates in the case have been publicly announced at this time.