BOISE, Idaho — After a former Idaho legislator was arrested in Georgia over the weekend, his lawyer held a press briefing Wednesday providing an update on Aaron von Ehlinger.
Jon R. Cox is representing von Ehlinger, a former Lewiston representative accused of raping a 19-year-old house staffer. Cox said Wednesday he was contacted by von Ehlinger a few days after an arrest warrant was issued.
Related: Arrest warrant issued out of Ada County for former Rep. Aaron von Ehlinger
Von Ehlinger's attorney said his client was in Central America since May on a pre-planned vacation and business trip.
"He landed in Atlanta on Saturday night was taken off the plane and taken into custody," said Cox
Related: Records: Aaron von Ehlinger arrested Saturday in Georgia
Von Ehlinger's attorney said he was not on the run and did not know if a warrant was going to be issued when he left for Central America. Cox said he was hopeful that his client would be released from the Clayton County Jail in Georgia.
Cox states the arrest warrant for Aaron von Ehlinger was a 'book and release' warrant.
"He was going to fly into Spokane turn himself in to the county there, the next day would have gotten his court date. he is now in custody in the Clayton County facility. We have spoken to the Clayton County Sheriff Office they have told us that all they need is an email from Ada county warrants, it's called an AMS message saying this is a book and release, you can release him and he can return to Idaho as originally planned."
Cox hopes that von Ehlinger will be released so he can return to Idaho for a court date without extradition. The Ada County Prosecutor's Office told Cox they are checking with Clayton County to see if there is any additional hold on him. Cox says he does not.
According to Cox, Ada County officials told The Clayton County Sheriff's Office that they planned on extraditing von Ehlinger. It remains unclear if Aaron von Ehlinger is going to be extradited or released in Georgia.
