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Iowa early News Headlines: Wed., Feb. 27th 2019

News

February 27th, 2019 by Ric Hanson

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press at 3:47 a.m. CST

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A 50-year-old Iowa man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for having and producing child pornography. Federal prosecutors for Iowa said in a news release Tuesday that Joel Thomas Augard was sentenced Monday in Des Moines’ federal courthouse. Augard had pleaded guilty in October to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) — The trial of an Indiana man accused of killing a Fort Dodge woman has again been postponed and moved. The Messenger reports that trial for Phillip Williams was to start Monday in Mason City, but a judge granted his request Tuesday to delay and move the trial. That came after Williams, who is black, objected to the composition of the jury pool, which had only one African American. Williams is charged with first-degree murder in the August 2017 death of 26-year-old Jessica Gomez.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) — Authorities say three people perished in a fire that heavily damaged a two-story house in the eastern Iowa city of Muscatine. Firefighters dispatched around 6:40 p.m. Monday found flames coming from several doors and windows. One injured person found outside the home was taken in critical condition to a hospital. The Muscatine Fire Department says firefighters found three bodies inside the home. Their names haven’t been released. The fire cause is being investigated.

AUBURN, Neb. (AP) — A southeast Nebraska man has pleaded not guilty to stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of brass from his employer. Nemaha County District Court records say 26-year-old Justin Heard, of Auburn, entered the pleas Monday to 11 counts of burglary and three of theft from Magnolia Metal in rural Auburn. Investigators say he sold the brass to a recycler in Council Bluffs, Iowa.