A Boise mental health clinic owner and former Republican political candidate has been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to lewd conduct with a minor under 16.
Ryan Dewayne Jenks, 46, was sentenced in Ada County this week after admitting to felony lewd conduct with a child under the age of 16.
The sentence is a unified term of three years fixed and up to 17 more years indeterminate, meaning he must serve at least three years before being eligible for parole. Prosecutors described the crime as "devastating" and said the abuse caused serious emotional harm to the victim, according to the Idaho Statesman.
Jenks is the owner and CEO of Brighter Future Health, a counseling clinic that serves children, teens, and adults in Boise and Nampa. He previously worked as a family and criminal defense attorney in Nampa, but gave up active legal practice when he expanded the clinic.
Idaho court records show he no longer holds an active law license, and in early 2026, the Idaho Supreme Court accepted his resignation in lieu of disciplinary proceedings tied to these charges, East Idaho News reported.
The charges stem from conduct that allegedly occurred years ago, with prosecutors saying the abuse took place in 2016. Jenks was first arrested in February 2025 on a warrant tied to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor under 16 and one count of lewd conduct with a minor under 16. At the time, he bonded out of jail after posting a reduced bond, but the case later moved toward a plea agreement.
Jenks also ran as a Republican candidate for the Idaho House of Representatives in 2014, challenging Democratic incumbent Ilana Rubel, but lost that race. His political background and role as a clinic owner serving children drew strong public attention once the charges became public.
The Ada County Sheriff's Office and prosecutors credited detectives with helping secure accountability for the victim and emphasized theimportance of protecting children from abuse, as per Idaho News.
