Update on Iowa Case of Apparent Persecution

We previously covered this the last time there was an update. The state of Iowa, and especially the authorities in Clear Lake, have apparently wasted taxpayer resources to persecute someone for having consensual sex. That's the only logical conclusion, based on the information provided, which isn't much. Though the defendant is apparently no threat to anyone, his picture and name get featured in the news. Here's an example from northiowatoday.com...

A Clear Lake man who pleaded guilty to incest has been sentenced to probation.

Probation. Now, imagine for a second this was an assault. Probation would be outrageous.

Now, consider that this was likely a matter of consensual sex, because probation is too outrageous for an assault case. It's outrageous that he was prosecuted for consensual sex.

Allegedly, Russ had engaged in sexual contact with a person he is related to; court records didn’t elaborate.

That's not acceptable. Nobody should be arrested for private "sexual contact." How is anyone supposed to believe that anything even happened? How did police get involved? Did an uninvolved person call the police?

Under Iowa law, a person, except a child, who performs a sex act with another whom the person knows to be related to the person, either legitimately or illegitimately, as an ancestor, descendant, brother or sister of the whole or half blood, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew, commits incest. Incest is a class “D” felony.

This is absurd. Let consenting adults be together how they mutually agree.

At sentencing this week, judge Annette Boehlje gave Russ 5 years of probation. A 5 year prison sentence and a $750.00 fine were suspended. He must pay $632.00 in court costs.

So he has a fine and a threat of prison held over his head.

A no-contact order with the victim was extended.

Victim. If there is was consensual, there was no victim. If this was not consensual, it was not sex, but rather assault. Ordering no contact between adults who had consensual sex is ridiculous.

Mary Pieper at globegazette.com reported...

A no-contact order with the victim has been extended for five years, according to Cerro Gordo County District Court records.

Russ was accused of performing a sex act with a person he knew was related to him in December 2014, according to court documents.

The lack of information is appalling. It would be possible to include more without revealing the identity of the other person. Was this a GSA case? Something awful was done by law enforcement here. Either an abuser is pretty much getting away with it, or, more likely, a citizen is being persecuted for no good reason. There is no good reason to deny adults their freedom of association in this way. The only reason for the court to get involved is legally marry adult lovers.