MASON CITY – A woman who left her two children alone in a garage with a convicted sex offender and later was accused of beating up her own mom entered a guilty plea to child endangerment.
On September 21, 2014, Mason City police and Cerro Gordo deputies converged upon 115 16th Street SW to complete a sex offender registry check on 53-year-old Mark M. Hoffman. Hoffman is a convicted sex offender and has lived at the house since his conviction in 1995. His crime was committed against a female victim over the age of 18. His house is across the street from Lincoln and Roosevelt schools. When police arrived, Hoffman took off running and was caught a short time later. Jaime Lynn Peterson, age 32, was at the residence with her children, Sheriff Kevin Pals said. After an investigation, Peterson was arrested and charged with two counts of child endangerment by leaving her three-year-old son and five-year-old son alone in a garage with Hoffman.
On January 15, 2015, Peterson pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment, while the other was dismissed. She was sentenced to 365 days in jail with 335 days suspended. A $625.00 fine was suspended. She was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service and was placed on probation for 2 years.
Also on January 15 in court, Peterson pleaded guilty to third degree criminal mischief after being charged with second degree criminal mischief. She received a suspended 2 year prison sentence, a suspended $625.00 fine, two years of probation and will be sent to a residential facility for 999 days. Mason City police had been called to 929 North Taylor Avenue on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at about 6:46 PM for a disturbance. Officers arrived and discovered Peterson at the scene. Peterson had reportedly damaged multiple objects inside the home belonging to her relatives. The value of the damaged items exceeded $1,000.00. During the incident, she allegedly assaulted her mother by striking her about the head and neck several times. Peterson was charged with 2nd Degree Criminal Mischief and Simple Assault and jailed. On February 27, a judge dismissed the assault charge.
In court 2 days earlier, Peterson pleaded guilty to a felony drug charge. She was given a 10-year suspended prison sentence, 5 years of probation and a suspended $1,000 fine.
She was ordered to pay $1610.50, $510.50 and $219.00 to Iowa courts in fees and court costs.
SUBJECT IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY
