MASON CITY – This Northern Iowa man with a history of criminal activity, including domestic abuse, burglary, violating no-contact orders, theft, and more, and whose daddy lectured NIT over ten years ago with the phrase, “a woman is trying to ruin my son’s life” and then called her “the devil” is facing fresh trouble after a swath of no-contact violations this year against his alleged victim.
Daniel Franken (pictured at top) has been in and out of the Cerro Gordo county court system for months, records show, accused of violating a no-contact order imposed upon him by a judge after a local woman lodged a civil order, petition for relief from domestic abuse, against him back in May of 2025. Since then, Franken has been charged with violating the no-contact order on:
- June 15, 2025, resulting in guilt and owing Iowa courts $552.21 (no jail time)
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June 22, 2025, resulting in charge dismissed
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August 12, 2025, resulting in a court hearing set for December 9, 2025
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October 29, 2025, resulting in a court hearing set for December 9, 2025
A judge issued a warrant for Franken’s arrest on November 7 on the two latest charges after Mason City police brought an application to show cause for contempt to court, and he roamed free until he was nabbed on November 17, when he was booked into the Cerro Gordo county jail at 12:42 AM. He posted bond the next day and was released from jail as he awaits the upcoming court appearance on December 9.
Daniel Franken, now represented, records show, by local attorney Michal Moeller (Kristy Arzberger represents his alleged victim), is no stranger to the pages of NIT, where his crimes have been reported on for well over a decade (we missed his theft conviction in Mason City back in 2023). Back in 2014, NIT reported on Franken being sent to jail for domestic abuse assault and violating a protective order. This didn’t set too well with Franken’s daddy (enabler?) Robert Franken, who doled out his viewpoint on how his son is just possibly a misunderstood young man who got played by a female.
Among the classic lines Robert Franken sent to NIT in response to our reporting about his son were, “I wish you knew the whole story of how a woman is trying to ruin my son’s life. She contacted him through [friends] and pursued him and was actually meeting with him and when she found out he was dating a someone else, she contacted the Clear Lake Police and showed them text message[s] he sent to her. She has always been in the driving seat, that [is] how unfair the justice system is. We contacted the Cerro Gordo county sheriff several times and finally got them to call this female and threaten to arrest her for contacting Daniel. She even drove to our place several times while we were gone to meet with him. Got it on surveillance film. Daniel will probably finally learn his lesson bit he should have never trusted the devil.”
Fittingly, just days after this lecture, NIT reported that Daniel Franken was back at his criminal ways, terrorizing a victim by sneaking into her house and committing assault, allegedly, and then chased by cops back to mom and dad’s house in Clear Lake to hide. NIT reported then:
“Daniel Franken is 24-years-old and lives in his parents’ house in Clear Lake. Already this month, Franken was found guilty on September 4 by Judge Patrick Byrne of a no-contact order violation – his third such accusation in the case and second conviction – and sentenced to 18 days in jail. Franken has bothered or been seen with or near a protected party – a young Mason City woman who lives on 21st Street SE with her family. He has been accused three times of violating the court-imposed no-contact order with the woman and found guilty twice already. Franken was given a deferred judgement in the felony domestic abuse case – involving strangulation of the victim – which produced the no-contact order. He was released from jail on September 21. Thursday morning at 2:17 AM, a violation of the no-contact order was reported in the 500 block of 21st Street SE, where his victim lives. Police told NIT that Franken reportedly entered the residence of the protected party. Once inside, Franken allegedly assaulted the protected party and obstructed attempts to contact police. A family member chased Franken from the residence and he apparently left in a vehicle. Franken was located a short time later at his parents’ house in Clear Lake and arrested.”