DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A former Davenport elementary teacher has been imprisoned for possessing and distributing child pornography. U.S. District Court records say Michael Ross was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison. He’d pleaded guilty in December. Investigators say they found hundreds of images and videos on Ross’ computer, laptop and smartphone. The Davenport Community School District says Ross was hired in August 2013 and had worked at Buchanan and Wilson elementary schools. He’s surrendered his teaching license.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Authorities have released the name of a woman stabbed to death outside her home on the west side of Sioux City. She’s been identified as 24-year-old Kenia Alvarez-Flores. Police say she died at a hospital after being stabbed several times before 8 a.m. Sunday. Authorities have arrested and charged 20-year-old Melissa Camargo-Flores, of Dakota City, Nebraska. Her attorney didn’t immediately return a call Tuesday from The Associated Press.

Court documents say Camargo-Flores admitted stabbing Alvarez-Flores and told investigators she’d been involved in a relationship with the victim’s boyfriend. Authorities say the two women were not related.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former Johnston teacher accused of groping and making sexual comments to an anatomy class student has been given two years of probation. Court records say 34-year-old Dustin Mead entered an Alford plea to a harassment charge in a plea deal. He originally pleaded not guilty to sexual abuse and sexual abuse by a school employee. The Alford plea means Mead acknowledges there’s enough evidence for a jury to reach a guilty verdict, but he says he didn’t commit the acts alleged.

Mead resigned from his teaching job at Johnston schools in April 2017 after a female student alleged he gave her grades she didn’t earn, made sexual comments and groped her during the 2015-2016 school year.
Mead’s lawyer, Guy Cook, told The Des Moines Register that Mead “maintains his innocence because he is innocent.”