MASON CITY – A Mason City man who had been facing up to two years in prison on an aggravated misdemeanor count of possession of child porn was sentenced to reside at Beje Clark for 6 months or until maximum benefits are achieved as part of a voluntary negotiated plea of guilt.
The charge followed an execution of a search warrant by Mason City Police Department in July of 2011. Evidence collected during the warrant included a USB flash drive and CD-R containing pornographic images of children being sexually exploited.
In November Mason City police filed a formal criminal complaint and 27-year-old Andrew Henry Martin was charged with one aggravated misdemeanor count of possession of child porn 1st offense.
Court records show on Tuesday, March 13th, Martin entered a voluntary negotiated written guilty plea ahead of a scheduled trial in Cerro Gordo County District Court on April 10th.
Following the guilty plea presiding Senior Judge Carlynn D. Grupp handed down a 2 year suspended prison sentence and ordered Martin to serve 2 years of probation with the Iowa Department of Corrections. Judge Grupp aslo suspended a minimum $625 criminal fine in the case ordering Martin to pay $350 in court costs.
Judge Grupp did sentence Martin to reside at Beje Clark for 6 months or until maximum benefits are achieved. In addition Martin is required to register as a sex offender under Iowa law for 10 years.
Early Thursday morning Martin registered as a sex offender with the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
