The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office reports a burglary occurred in Villisca overnight Thursday into Friday morning. An unknown person or persons made entry into a locked building in the East 200 block of 3rd Street in Villisca sometime between 7:00 p.m. Thursday to 7:00 a.m. on Friday. Items valued at approximately $3,600 were stolen from the building. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On September 24, 2020, United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner sentenced Kenneth Jay Still, age 71, of Council Bluffs, to 10 years in prison, the statutory maximum, for felon and domestic abuser in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Still was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term and pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund. There is no parole in the federal system.

On October 7, 2018, Still shot and killed his 21-year-old step-son at close range with a 12- gauge shotgun. Still immediately fled the scene and disposed of the shotgun. He turned himself in to authorities the next day. Law enforcement was able to recover the shotgun several weeks later. Still pleaded guilty on June 16, 2020, in federal court to the gun charge.

This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department, Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

DES MOINES, IA – On September 17, 2020, United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger sentenced Michael James Hidlebaugh, age 38, of Perry, to 97 months in prison for Receipt of Child Pornography, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Hidlebaugh was ordered to serve five years of supervised release to follow his prison term, pay $21,000 in restitution, and comply with sex offender registry requirements upon release.

The investigation began in September 2017 when law enforcement received an investigative lead from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that images of child pornography had been uploaded to Hidlebaugh’s email account. Following further investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hidlebaugh’s Perry residence in May 2018. Law enforcement seized multiple electronic devices, which contained hundreds of images and videos of child pornography. The investigation showed that from July 2016 to April 2018, Hidlebaugh received child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of two individuals on Thursday following a theft investigation. Deputies took a report of burglary and theft that occurred near Hamburg. Several items were reported missing including a vehicle and camper.

Deputies found evidence implicating 29-year-old Ashley Clapper of Rockport, MO and 25-year-old Cameron Gaymon of Hamburg in the crime. Atchison County, MO Deputies made contact with the pair on I-29 in Missouri with the stolen items. Clapper and Gaymon were both charged with three counts of Theft 2nd Degree with more charges pending.

They were being held in the Atchison County Jail awaiting extradition back to Iowa.

Tyler McGee

Taylor Spencer

Fremont County Sheriff Kevin Aistrope reports the arrest of two men from Kansas City, MO on drug, gun, and theft charges on Tuesday.

On September 22nd at approximately 09:05 p.m. Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office were called to the area of 195^th and Highway 2 for a report of a suspicious vehicle.  Deputies made contact with the vehicle on Highway 2, near Interstate 29.

During the investigation, Deputies discovered controlled substances, a rifle and several stolen retail items inside the vehicle.

Taylor Spencer, age 27 of Kansas City, Missouri, was charged with two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance, (Heroin and Methamphetamine), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, No Valid License, and Theft 2^nd Degree.  Spencer is being held on $11,000 bond

Tyler McGee, age 25 of Kansas City, Missouri was charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Theft 2^nd Degree.  McGee is being held on $10,000 bond.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Iowa State Patrol, and K9 Units from Mills County, Cass County, and Shenandoah Police Department.

The Mills Count Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest on Friday of 56-year-old Tami Sue Bailey of Nebraska City, NE on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Bailey was arrested at 10:00 a.m. Friday and booked into the Mills County Jail on $1,000 bond.

Guthrie County Department of Public Health announced today (Friday) another two deaths associated
with novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Guthrie County. One individual was 48 with underlying
medical conditions and one individual was older than 80. The total number of deaths as of today
is seven.

“We want to extend our deepest condolences to the individual’s family,” stated Guthrie County
Public Health Director, Jotham Arber. “We are all in this fight together. Guthrie County Public
Health and all of our partners continue to work to limit the spread and impact of COVID-19 in our
communities.”

All residents should:
■ Wear cloth face coverings in public settings where social distancing measures and other
hygiene practices are difficult to maintain.
■ Stay at least 6 feet away from others to minimize exposure.
■ Anyone who is high risk for more severe COVID-19 illness should continue to stay home.
■ Stay home when even mildly ill (the kind of illness that normally wouldn’t prevent you
from your everyday activities)
■ Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow/upper arm.
■ Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

For up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the county webpage at
www.adairguthriecountycovid.org.

Two individuals died in a single vehicle accident in Montgomery County on Thursday. Montgomery County Sheriff’s Officials report the accident happened at 3:10 p.m. on 200th Street, approximately a 1/2 mile west of A Avenue. Upon arrival Deputies found a vehicle in the north ditch fully engulfed in flames. Once the vehicle was extinguished it was discovered that there were two deceased individuals inside the vehicle.

It was determined that the vehicle was traveling westbound and left the roadway into the north ditch and struck trees in the ditch. The two individuals have been transported to the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny for positive identification.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery County EMA, Red Oak Fire and Rescue, and Emerson Fire and Rescue.

The Glenwood Police Department reports the arrest on Thursday of 36-year-old Cindy Swanson of Glenwood on a Mills County warrant. Swanson was booked into the Mills County Jail and held on no bond until seen by a Magistrate.