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After Sexual Abuse of 1-Year-Old, No Jail Time in Sentence for Teenager After Sexual Abuse of 1-Year-Old, No Jail Time in Sentence for Teenager
(about 3 hours later)
An Iowa teenager who was accused of sexually assaulting a 1-year-old girl while the act was recorded will not serve further 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 the act was recorded will not serve further 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.
He was released after 2 years and four months in jail when he pleaded guilty in July.He was released after 2 years and four months in jail when he pleaded guilty in July.
Some public reaction to the sentencing this week centered on whether the sentence was strong enough. A man whose Facebook page about missing children and fugitives helped investigators identify the defendant was particularly disappointed.Some public reaction to the sentencing this week centered on whether the sentence 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.“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.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.
Responding to the criticism, Gary Oldenburger, the county attorney for Wapello County, defended the sentence in a statement dated Thursday, presenting Mr. Grooms as the unwitting lackey of child pornographers who tricked him into the assault, as they had done to hundreds of other children. Mr. Oldenburger did not return several messages. Responding to the criticism, Gary Oldenburger, the county attorney for Wapello County, defended the sentence in a statement dated Thursday, presenting Mr. Grooms as the unwitting lackey of child pornographers who tricked him into the assault, as they had done to hundreds of other children.
By pretending to be a girl his age, then 16, the two men, one in New Orleans and one in Ireland, persuaded the teenager to perform sex acts he wouldn’t otherwise have done. He did not know he was being recorded, the prosecutor said in the statement. By pretending to be a girl his age, then 16, the two men, one in New Orleans and one in Ireland, persuaded the teenager to perform sex acts he wouldn’t otherwise have done, Mr. Oldenburger said.
He added that the child was uninjured, no pain was inflicted, and the child was too young to be aware of what was happening. Mr. Grooms did not know he was being recorded, the prosecutor said in the statement.
He added that the child was uninjured, no pain was inflicted, and the child was too young to be aware of what was happening. Though the crime was no “less horrible because the child was too young to understand,” the lack of injury is an important factor in sentencing, he said.
“While it is easy for the outside observer to advocate a hard-line stance that every sexual offense against a minor should result in a long prison sentence,” he wrote, “anyone who actually deals with these situations knows that each case is unique and every case must be handled on its own merits.”“While it is easy for the outside observer to advocate a hard-line stance that every sexual offense against a minor should result in a long prison sentence,” he wrote, “anyone who actually deals with these situations knows that each case is unique and every case must be handled on its own merits.”
In March 2014, investigators at the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement sought help from the public in identifying someone they believed had engaged in unspecified sexual conduct with the girl, who was between 12 and 18 months old, and recorded the encounter on video. The case began in March 2014, when investigators at the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement sought help from the public in identifying someone they believed had engaged in unspecified sexual conduct with the girl, who was between 12 and 18 months old. The encounter had been recorded 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. 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, who was 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, who was 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. Oldenburger did not return a phone call seeking comment on Thursday. But in his statement, he said the parents of the victim did not want Mr. Grooms to serve significant jail time and were more focused on him receiving treatment. The prosecutor also said that important witnesses were unwilling to testify, and psychologists said Mr. Grooms was not a high-risk candidate for committing more offenses. Mr. Oldenburger said the case likely would have been dismissed had it gone to trial. The parents of the victim did not want Mr. Grooms to serve significant jail time and were more focused on him receiving treatment, he said.
The prosecutor also said that important witnesses were unwilling to testify, so the video might not have been admissible as evidence, making a trial more difficult.
He said a long sentence likely would have been overturned on appeal, with a quick parole. The 860 days he had already spent in jail would have counted toward his time served.He said a long sentence likely would have been overturned on appeal, with a quick parole. The 860 days he had already spent in jail would have counted toward his time served.
Mr. Oldenburger said psychologists did not believe Mr. Grooms was a high-risk candidate for committing more offenses.
“If Grooms was sent to prison for a long period of time rather than being sentenced to probation, he more than likely would be a greater risk to the community after his release than he will be after serving the sentence he received,” he said.“If Grooms was sent to prison for a long period of time rather than being sentenced to probation, he more than likely would be a greater risk to the community after his release than he will be after serving the sentence he received,” he said.
It was not immediately clear whether the men in New Orleans and Ireland have been arrested.It was not immediately clear whether the men in New Orleans and Ireland have been arrested.