Police: Texas man on mission trip facing charges after allegedly groping teenage girl

IDAHO FALLS — A Texas man has been charged after a teenage girl’s father reported the man allegedly groped her during a visit to Idaho Falls.

According to the court documents, on June 22, 2023, the father contacted the Idaho Falls Police Department to report that Dawson Heath, 25, of Burleson, Texas, had allegedly inappropriately touched his daughter multiple times. Heath was in Idaho as part of a church mission trip and had returned to Texas, according to court documents.

The victim’s father turned her phone over to the police and detectives downloaded its contents. The victim told officers that she had deleted multiple messages between her and Heath.

The documents detail the conversation in which Heath asked the victim whether she is okay and her thoughts about him. The victim later responded that she can tell whoever she wants and doesn’t have to hide what happened to her.

“This is your fault, and you shouldn’t have done it,” the victim messaged to Heath.

During an interview with the victim on Aug. 29, she reported that Heath hugged her from behind and pressed up against her while he was aroused. She later told the interviewer that Heath had reached under her shorts and groped her during a car ride, and did so again the following day while they were sitting on a couch at her home.

The document states the victim told Heath that he was making her uncomfortable, and the man responded by asking her to keep it a secret.

In September of that year, the victim had a confrontation call with Heath that was monitored by a police officer.

During the call, the victim asked Heath why he had groped her, and he responded that he knew his hand wasn’t supposed to be that low and that he was sorry. When asked why he knew it was wrong, he responded that it was due to the victim being underage.

A portion of the call also spoke on why Heath asked the victim to keep what happened a secret, and he said that the two of them don’t get into trouble, but mainly for him.

The officer contacted Heath on Sept. 26 and reported in the documents that during the call, Heath lied multiple times and claimed to have never texted or groped the victim.

The next day, Heath called the officer back and said that he had texted the victim, but that it was meant to be innocent. He had also confirmed that he had touched her thigh on two occasions and that his forearm had touched her inappropriately.

An arrest warrant was issued for Heath on Dec. 27, 2023 and the man was arrested on Nov. 25, 2025. It’s unclear why it took two years for Heath to be taken into custody.

He is facing one felony count of child sexual battery, which carries the potential punishment of up to 25 years in prison and or a fine of $50,000.

Heath is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. on Dec. 17.

Though Heath has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

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