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No Jail Time in Recording Sexual Abuse of 1-Year-Old No Jail Time in Recording Sexual Abuse of 1-Year-Old
(about 1 hour later)
An Iowa teenager who was accused of sexually assaulting a 1-year-old girl while recording it will not serve jail time after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of engaging in a lascivious act with a child.An Iowa teenager who was accused of sexually assaulting a 1-year-old girl while recording it will not serve jail time after he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of engaging in a lascivious act with a child.
A judge this week gave the teenager, Kraigen Grooms, 19, a 10-year suspended sentence and five years of supervised release, according to KTVO, a local television station. He must also register as a sex offender.A judge this week gave the teenager, Kraigen Grooms, 19, a 10-year suspended sentence and five years of supervised release, according to KTVO, a local television station. He must also register as a sex offender.
In March 2014, investigators at the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they believed he had engaged in unspecified sexual conduct with the girl, who was between 12 and 18 months old, and recorded the encounter on video. Some public reaction centered on whether the punishment was strong enough. A man whose Facebook page about missing children and fugitives helped investigators identify the defendant was particularly disappointed.
“He needs to be locked up and have some intensive sex offender treatment,” Tim Caya, who runs the Locate the Missing page, said in an interview.
There was a similar reaction in local media. “Why is it a first time drug offense is more likely to get you a prison sentence than child molestation?” an Ottumwa Radio commenter asked.
In March 2014, investigators at the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they believed someone had engaged in unspecified sexual conduct with the girl, who was between 12 and 18 months old, and recorded the encounter on video. Mr. Caya, who lives in Brookings, S.D., created a flier and the post was shared thousands of times, and commenters zeroed in on Mr. Grooms as a suspect. Mr. Caya and other commenters called the police, and Mr. Grooms was arrested the following day.
Mr. Grooms, 17 at the time of his arrest but tried as an adult, was initially charged with second-degree sexual abuse, according to The Ottumwa Post. That charge carried a punishment of up to 25 years in prison.Mr. Grooms, 17 at the time of his arrest but tried as an adult, was initially charged with second-degree sexual abuse, according to The Ottumwa Post. That charge carried a punishment of up to 25 years in prison.
Gary Oldenburger, the county attorney for Wapello County, did not return a phone call seeking comment on Thursday.Gary Oldenburger, the county attorney for Wapello County, did not return a phone call seeking comment on Thursday.
Some public reaction centered on whether the punishment was strong enough.
“Why is it a first time drug offense is more likely to get you a prison sentence than child molestation?” an Ottumwa Radio commenter asked.
A man whose Facebook page about missing children and fugitives helped investigators identify and locate the defendant was particularly disappointed.
“He needs to be locked up and have some intensive sex offender treatment,” said the man, Tim Caya, whose Locate the Missing page on Facebook helped with the case.
Mr. Caya, who lives in Brookings, S.D., created a flier after immigration enforcement asked for the public’s help in March 2014.
The post was shared thousands of times, and commenters zeroed in on Mr. Grooms as a suspect. Mr. Caya and other commenters called the police, and Mr. Grooms was arrested the following day.
Mr. Grooms was in juvenile detention and county jail until he pleaded guilty in July, according to Ottumwa Radio. He has been monitored by GPS since his release.Mr. Grooms was in juvenile detention and county jail until he pleaded guilty in July, according to Ottumwa Radio. He has been monitored by GPS since his release.