Boise parole officer was charged with extortion, fled the country. Now IDOC could be sued

The girlfriend of an Idaho man has accused the state’s prison and parole agencies of failing to “properly train, supervise and oversee” her boyfriend’s probation officer who asked her to send him an “explicit video” on Valentine’s Day, according to a tort claim.

The claim, which was obtained by the Idaho Statesman through the public records process, was filed against the Idaho Department of Correction, Probation and Parole District 4, Ada County and the Prosecutor’s Office. Plaintiffs are required to file tort claims, notifying of their intent to sue an agency, before potentially filing a lawsuit.

The two-page claim, filed by Boise-based attorney Justin Volle, alleged that IDOC Probation and Parole Officer Saif Sabah Hasan Al Anbagi — who is already facing criminal charges — contacted the woman by phone in February asking for help “making a decision” about her boyfriend’s drug use.

Al Anbagi told the woman that her boyfriend, whom Al Anbagi was supervising on probation, was using illegal substances and receiving explicit videos, the complaint said. Al Anbagi told her he saw a “pornographic video” on the man’s phone that was sent in January, according to the complaint.

When the woman admitted it was her in the video, Al Anbagi asked her to send him the video so he could “confirm” she was the woman in the video, adding that if she did, he’d “help” her boyfriend “out” by not giving him a violation for using illegal substances, according to the complaint.

The woman also told Al Anbagi that her boyfriend “was not using drugs,” the complaint said. Today, she still deals with PTSD and several forms of anxiety because of Al Anbagi’s actions, the complaint said, adding that her emotional damages amount to at least $50,000. The Statesman typically doesn’t identify survivors of alleged sexual crimes and is not naming the woman who filed the complaint.

“The Idaho Department of Correction, the state of Idaho and the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office failed to properly train, supervise and oversee Probation Officer Saif Sabah Hasan Al Anbagi, which directly and proximately led to (the woman’s) injuries, harm and damages,” Volle wrote in the complaint.

Al Anbagi wasn’t named as a defendant in the tort claim. He worked in the IDOC’s Probation and Parole District 4, which encompasses the same area that makes up the 4th Judicial District. The district deals with any criminal or civil cases in Ada, Boise, Elmore and Valley counties. Al Anbagi in February was charged with extortion and accused by the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office of pressuring the women to send “compromising” videos and photos of herself.

Al Anbagi, who previously worked as a probation officer for seven years, was placed on unpaid leave on Feb. 16 and resigned five days later, IDOC spokesperson Sanda Kuzeta-Cerimagic told the Statesman by email.

Kuzeta-Cerimagic declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation. Clear River Legal, where Volle works, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Al Anbagi facing felony charges for incident

The claim comes months after Al Anbagi was charged with felony grand theft. Prosecutors said he extorted the woman by asking her to send “compromising” photos and video, according to the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office.

If she didn’t cooperate, the woman said Al Anbagi would violate her boyfriend’s probation, the Prosecutor’s Office said, leading her to feel like she didn’t have a choice, given that she was also under court supervision.

“The defendant used his position of trust and authority to extort the victim,” Shawn Kelley, a legal intern for the Prosecutor’s Office, said in February.

Al Anbagi has since fled the country after posting his $150,000 bond.

“I was advised by the U.S. Attorney’s Office that this defendant got on a plane to Iraq a few days ago,” Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Delaney Peugh said at a March hearing. “So I do believe this is a failure to appear and that he does not plan on appearing.”

Prosecutors announced at the hearing that after charging Al Anbagi at least 10 more possible victims came forward, Peugh said, leading her to believe he fled in “anticipation of additional charges.”

Al Anbagi’s then-private attorney said at the time that he “sees the issues differently.”

“He wasn’t required to stay in the country, he might just be over there visiting,” Jeffery McKinnie said. “I think we’re jumping to conclusions to assume he’s not coming back.” McKinnie didn’t immediately return a phone call seeking additional information Tuesday.

Four months later, Al Anbagi hasn’t been found, and online court records show that the nationwide warrant issued for his arrest is still active.

“We do not have further comment we can provide about his criminal case at this time,” Emily Lowe, a spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office, said in an email.