DES MOINES, IA – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports that on December 3rd, 2020, a United States District Court Judge sentenced 52-year-old Joseph Lee Fultz, of Des Moines, to 324 months (27 years) in prison, for Production of Child Pornography. Fultz was ordered to serve ten years of supervised release to follow his prison term and comply with sex offender registry requirements upon release.

An investigation into his activities began in May of 2019, when the Des Moines Police Department received a report that Fultz produced child pornography of four minors, ages 10 and under, while they were under his care. Subsequently, Des Moines police officers executed a search warrant at Fultz’s apartment where they seized his computers and electronic devices. The investigation showed that Fultz produced and possessed child pornography images of the four minors, as well as two additional children, including an infant. All six children were located and identified.

The case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the United States Department of Justice’s “Project Safe
Childhood” initiative, which was started in 2006 as a nationwide effort to combine law enforcement investigations and prosecutions, community action, and public awareness in order to reduce the incidence of sexual exploitation of children.

Any persons having knowledge of a child being sexually abused are encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline at 1-800-284-7821.

The Glenwood Police Department reports 23-year old Dakota Swain, of Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday. Swain was taken into custody on a Mills County County warrant for Domestic Abuse Assault/1st offense. His cash-only bond was set at $300.

And, no injuries were reported following a collision Tuesday morning in Glenwood. Authorities say a 2006 Pontiac G6 driven by 19-year old Owen Riley Smith, of Glenwood, was traveling south from a stop sign at Sharp and Linn Streets at around 7:35-a.m., as a 2013 Hyundai Elantra driven by 33-year old Jordan Scott Bueltel, of Glenwood, was traveling east on Sharp Street with no signs or signals, and having the right-of-way.

Smith told police he didn’t see Bueltel’s car and began to cross Sharp Street from the stop sign. Bueltel did not have time to take evasive action. His car hit the Pontiac and continued on before hitting a 2014 Dodge Durango, which was parked on Best Finish Auto’s car sales lot.

Police say no citations were issued. Damage during the accident totaled $11,500.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Police have identified a man whose body was found last week inside a Sioux City apartment used by transients. The Sioux City Journal reports that the body of 61-year-old Daniel Harden was found Dec. 1 inside the apartment building. An autopsy used to identify the body ruled Harden’s death as a homicide. Investigators have said Harden appeared to have been beaten and had likely been dead for about a week when his body was found.

The apartment is part of a complex where 33-year-old Solomon Blackbird was shot on Nov. 1. He later died. Police have said the two deaths did not appear to be related.

(Radio Iowa) – A second former employee of a Denison credit union has been charged with embezzlement.  The former manager of Consumer Credit Union, Janine Keim of Denison, was indicted on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City of embezzlement by a credit union employee and making false statements. Keim is accused of working with former head teller at the Denison institution, Brenda Jensen, also of Denison, to misallocate funds from 2012 to 2018. Jensen pleaded guilty in October in federal court to embezzlement and awaits sentencing. Keim’s arraignment hearing has been scheduled for December 16th in Federal Court in Sioux City.

DES MOINES – The Iowa Secretary of State’s Office report Iowa’s six presidential electors will meet Monday, December 14 at 10:30 a.m. at the State Capitol to cast their votes for President and Vice President of the United States. Governor Kim Reynolds will preside over the meeting and Secretary of State Paul Pate will distribute and collect the electors’ ballots. Iowa law requires electors to cast ballots for the candidates who received the most votes in the state.

(Noon News) – Police in Glenwood report two men were arrested on numerous drug charges, Wednesday, following the execution of a search warrant at 207 N. Locust Street, in Glenwood. Authorities say 27-year old Patrick Clayton Giesting, and 33-year old William Dean Meredith, both of Glenwood, were arrested. Each was charged with Felony, Gathering where controlled substances are used. Giesting was additionally charged with: Possession of a controlled substance/methamphetamine; Possession of Marijuana; Unlawful possession of a prescription drug, and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $8,300.

Meredith was additionally charged with Felony Possession of Meth/3rd offense. His bond was set at $10,000.