WASHINGTON – In testimony last week, a high-ranking FBI official described the onslaught of frauds and scams now being perpetrated against the elderly, who are prime targets of crooks for a number…
Category: Crime
A comprehensive crime page for the North Iowa area and beyond.
Floyd woman losses appeal for morphine possession
DES MOINES – A Floyd woman’s conviction for drug possession has been upheld by the Iowa Appeals Court. Faith Lohr, age 37, challenged her conviction for possessing morphine as a second-time drug…
Woman-beater to stay in prison till he dies
DES MOINES – A man serving a life in the Iowa State Penitentiary won’t be coming back to Mason City anytime soon, as he lost an appeal this week. Warren Purvis, age 60, appealed…
Mason City man arrested for public intoxication
MASON CITY – Police responded to a North End alley for a report of “a very intoxicated subject” early Saturday and placed a man under arrest. A caller reported to police Saturday…
Woman accused of crimes across Iowa arrested in Mason City
MASON CITY – A woman who has faced criminal charges across the state of Iowa and now living in Mason City was picked up by Mason City police on an arrest warrant…
Alleged drunk driver caught driving without license
MASON CITY – An ex-convict who spent time in an Iowa penitentiary and was arrested in April for second offense drunk driving and interference with police was caught driving without a license…
Mason City man pleads guilty in arson case
MASON CITY – A Mason City man facing arson and theft charges has entered a guilty plea and will face sentencing in September. Roger Kuck, age 57, was charged with felony C…
Mason City woman arrested for possession of two illegal drugs
PLYMOUTH – Mason City woman was taken to jail late Friday after an officer discovered she possessed two illegal drugs. Jennie Marie Melby, age 32, was stopped by a Cerro Gordo deputy…
Supreme Court awards former ISU writer $650,000 payment in whistle-blowing case
DES MOINES – A man once employed by Iowa State University will get a $650,000 payday for treatment by his former bosses that damaged his reputation and inflicted emotional distress, the Iowa…
Man who brought drugs to the CG Jail pleads guilty to felony
MASON CITY – A Mason City man who brought drugs into the Cerro Gordo County Jail pleaded guilty to a felony charge and a theft charge. Monroe Brown III, age 24, pled…
Facing three charges of aggravated public intox, Mason City man sent to Beje
MASON CITY – He has been found passed out in bushes in the Cultural Crescent, in a stupor in a North End Kum & Go bathroom, and then arrested after aggressive behavior…
Known drug dealer flees cops before being caught
MASON CITY – Police chased a wanted, violent drug dealer Friday afternoon in a Mason City neighborhood before he was caught and arrested. Friday afternoon at about 3:13 PM, a member of…
After ruling, thousands of inmates convicted of drug crimes may walk free early
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Sentencing Commission voted unanimously today at a public meeting to apply a reduction in the sentencing guideline levels applicable to most federal drug trafficking offenders retroactively, meaning that…
Mason City Assessor jailed for domestic assault
MASON CITY – The Mason City Assessor has been arrested and charged with serious domestic assault. Danielle Elizabeth Naumann, age 38, was booked into the Cerro Gordo County Jail at 1:42 AM…
Iowa felon with sawed-off shotgun sent to prison
CEDAR RAPIDS – An Iowa man who was convicted of possessing an unregistered sawed-off shotgun was sentenced Thursday to more than 6 years in federal prison. Patrelle Jose Green-Bowman, age 21, from…
Man who created pornographic images of younger sister will remain in prison
OMAHA – A man who digitally altered a pornographic photo of a woman by adding the head of a young female child – who is the man’s half-sister – lost his appeal…
Four racists indicted for hate crimes that left one man dead
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury has indicted four people from Mississippi for racially motivated hate crimes where they allegedly targeted African-Americans they thought were drunk or homeless. John Louis Blalack, 20,…
Two kicked out of rental house and cited; one arrested
MASON CITY – Two people were kicked out of a Mason City rental house and made the task a little difficult for Mason City police. Mason City police assisted a landlord in…
One man dead after high speed chase in West Des Moines
WEST DES MOINES – A tragic accident between a drunk driver and a man fleeing police on a motorcycle claimed one life Wednesday in West Des Moines. According to a report, 28-year-old…
Mason City man pleads guilty to violating sex offender registry
MASON CITY – A Mason City man convicted of violent domestic assault and indecent exposure pled guilty to violating the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Lane Edward Factor, age 58, was arrested at…
Mason City woman pleads guilty after being charged with felony arson
MASON CITY – A North Iowa woman jailed after a fire near downtown Mason City in April and accused of felony arson has pleaded guilty. Jacque Sue Paulsen, age 32 formerly of…
Mason City man charged with public intox for second time since May
MASON CITY – A Mason City man arrested numerous times for public intoxication was arrested late Wednesday on the same charge. Jeffery Donald Eliason, age 50, was picked up by Mason City…
Armed, wanted drug dealer arrested, then bonds out of jail
WATERLOO – A man accused of being an armed drug dealer who was wanted on warrants after an investigation by Waterloo police was finally caught, only to post bond and walk free. Waterloo…
Hampton man faces federal charges
CEDAR RAPIDS – Abel Hernandez-Labra, age 43, from Hampton, Iowa, has been charged with passport fraud and false statements in a complaint filed on July 15, 2014, in United States District Court…
Assault charge dropped against former Iowa player McCabe
IOWA CITY – One of the top players for the Iowa basketball team last year who was caught on a surveillance camera punching a man out and then blowing him a goodbye…
Drunk Iowa man crashes into park, striking trees, injures two
LAKE ANITA, IOWA – An Iowa man faces his third drunk driving offense after driving his friend’s SUV into a park and crashing into trees. On July 13th, 2014, the Cass County…
Alarm at rural Cerro Gordo residence foils burglary
MASON CITY – A property owner and law enforcement responded to an alarm at a rural Cerro Gordo county property and learned that multiple subjects were attempting to break-in. Cerro Gordo deputies…
Man attempts to elude Charles City police
CHARLES CITY – Police in Charles City arrested a man after he refused to pull over for a traffic stop. On July 10, 2014, at about 1:30 AM, police attempted to pull…
Parkersburg man who pummeled cop before officer shot him has trial date set
WATERLOO – A man who was shot by a police officer on Christmas Day after allegedly striking the officer repeatedly about the face and head and knocking him to the ground now…
Top FBI official: “One wrong click” and your computer could be compromised by malicious botnet software
WASHINGTON – A top-level FBI official testified before a Senate subcommittee on July 15th on the agencies’ efforts to disrupt and dismantle botnets, otherwise known as “robot networks” which can infiltrate anyone’s…
Mason City crook goes on hospital rampage, injures two
MASON CITY – A known Mason City felon who has been given multiple chances to stay on the streets by judges attempted to break out of Mercy Hospital while in guarded custody…
Man who fled from cops on ATV, then on foot, finally in jail
MASON CITY – A Nora Springs man is in jail after successfully eluding law enforcement Monday evening on an ATV and then on foot. Cole Thomas Wickwire, age 19, is now in…
Meth dealers sent to prison
SIOUX CITY – Three men who conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Northwest Iowa and Southwest Minnesota were sentenced February 12, 2014, June 26, 2014, and July 8, 2014, to federal prison. Jose…
Incident at gas station lands troubled man in jail
MASON CITY – The list of arrests for Michael Isiah Schenker continues to grow, with his latest arrest coming late Monday at a Mason City gas station. Schenker, age 19, found himself…
Small town city clerk sent to prison for ripping off $80K
CEDAR RAPIDS – A woman, formerly the city clerk for Masonville, Iowa, who defrauded the city of more than $80,000, was sentenced on July 14, 2014, in federal court in Cedar Rapids….
Hawkeye Peter Jok arrested for second time; now suspended from team
IOWA CITY – A rising Iowa basketball star has found himself in trouble with the law for a second time this year and now, suspended from the team. After being caught drunk…
Didn’t bounce: Iowa crook jumps out second-story window, wakes up in hospital
WATERLOO – An Iowa crook was seriously injured while attempting to rob a landfill earlier this month. On July 3rd, at approximately 4:09 AM, Black Hawk county deputies were called to a…
Jury finds Michael Cisneros not guilty in death of toddler
MASON CITY – Michael Cisneros was acquitted by a Cerro Gordo county jury Monday in the death of a small boy that occurred 20 years ago. Cisneros, 38, was accused of the…
Charles City felon caught shoplifting
CHARLES CITY – Police in Charles City arrested a man for shoplifting recently. On July 9th at about 4:23 PM, Charles City police officers went to the 1400 block of South Grand…
Minnesota man accused of driving drunk, rolling SUV with daughter inside while visiting Mason City to stand trial next week
MASON CITY – A Minnesota man who stands accused of third offense drunk driving and rolling his SUV on a Mason City street with his young daughter inside – and then leaving…