OELWEIN – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) investigated reports of dead fish in the unnamed tributary to Otter Creek that flows through Oelwein  in Fayette County. “This is a natural kill caused by extremely warm water temperatures and low flow conditions on the stream,”said Theresa Shay, fisheries technician with the Iowa DNR.

Just over two miles of stream was affected by the warm water. Less than 1,000 fish were killed. Species primarily affected include smaller minnows, dace and suckers.  Shay said investigators saw live fish of multiple species in the same locations that appeared in good condition.

If you see dead fish when you are at a lake or river, call the DNR’s 24-hour spill line at 515-725-8694 as soon as possible. Quick reporting can help DNR staff identify the cause of a fish kill and potentially stop a fish kill in progress.

DES MOINES, IA – An Ottumwa man and woman were convicted of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service by filing hundreds of fraudulent tax returns and of defrauding applicants out of unemployment insurance benefits and the Iowa Workforce Development out of benefits payments.

On May 22, 2023, Thein Maung, 47, pleaded guilty to 49 fraud and tax charges. On June 2, 2023, a federal jury convicted Phyo Mi, 21, of 16 fraud charges. According to court documents and evidence presented at Mi’s four-day trial, Maung and Mi ran a fraudulent tax-preparation business out of their family’s Ottumwa home. In exchange for a cash fee, Maung and Mi prepared and filed their customers’ tax returns. Maung and Mi primarily catered to immigrants and refugees who worked at meat-packing facilities in Iowa and who had little or no ability to read, write, or speak English.

Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi included on their customers’ federal tax returns, schedules, and forms, fraudulent items, such as false claims for residential energy credits, business-expense deductions, or moving-expense deductions for members of the United States Armed Forces. The effect of Maung and Mi including fraudulent items on the tax documents was to increase the refunds their clients received and increase Maung and Mi’s customer base.

In all, from 2018 to 2022, Maung and Mi caused over 1600 tax returns to be filed from their Ottumwa residence. The fraudulent tax returns claimed over $3.5 million in residential energy credits. From 2018 to 2022, Maung and Mi received approximately over $200,000 in cash fees from their customers. In addition, on their customers’ returns, Maung and Mi sometimes directed portions of the fraudulent refunds be sent to financial institution accounts accessible to Maung and Mi.

Maung and Mi also offered to help customers apply for unemployment benefits from Iowa Workforce Development. Without their customers’ knowledge or approval, Maung and Mi submitted materials to Iowa Workforce Development directing that their customers’ benefits payments be sent to financial institution accounts that Maung and Mi had access to. From October 2020 through March 2021, Maung and Mi directed nearly $100,000 in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits payments be sent from Iowa Workforce Development to their accounts, instead of to the eligible claimants.

“This guilty verdict brings Phyo Mi and Thein Maung to justice. They created and implemented this massive energy credit and false deduction scheme to fund their greed at the expense of trusting taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas F. Murdock of the IRS Criminal Investigation St. Louis Field Office. “This conviction should serve as notice that we will vigorously prosecute those criminals who engage in any form of tax fraud.”

Sentencings for both Maung and Mi are scheduled for September 27, 2023, in Des Moines, before Chief United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Ottumwa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Essley and Laura Roan prosecuted the case.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Concerns Hotline has seen a nearly 25 percent increase in calls over the past 12 months. Anyone in Iowa may call the hotline, but the round-the-clock service is primarily meant to answer questions about farm and agribusiness finances. Tammy Jacobs oversees the hotline for Iowa State University Extension.

“We see a lot of issues between husband and wife, if it’s a partnership within the family, there’s issues with the partnership in the family” Jacobs says. “so we hear a lot about the relationship issues but after we’re talking to the people, it really stems from those financial concerns.” Trained people answer the calls and make referrals to services that might help. An attorney is available to provide free legal education. The conversations are kept confidential. Jacobs says it appears commodity prices are creating stress, especially among family farming operations.

“We really hear a lot about the succession,” she says, “and how…they’re weary and fearful about losing that farm that’s been around in the family for so long which can really be a huge stress on an individual to try to make sure that they’re doing everything they can do in order to make sure farming enterprise and continue that legacy.” Last year’s launch of the nationwide 9-8-8 suicide hotline hasn’t really impacted the number of calls to the Iowa Concerns Hotline according to Jacobs.

“We tout ourselves as being more stress counseling,” she says. The Iowa Concerns Hotline was launched in 1985, during the Farm Crisis. It was originally called the Rural Concerns Hotline, but the name was changed to Iowa Concerns Hotline after the floods of 1993 to indicate it’s not just for farmers. In the past 12 months, the Iowa Concerns Hotline fielded nearly 65-hundred calls.

FORT MADISON, Iowa – On Friday, June 2, 2023, the Iowa Board of Corrections voted unanimously in support of the appointment of Michelle Waddle as the next warden of the Iowa Correctional Institution for Women (ICIW) in Mitchellville, IA. The appointment was recommended to the Board by a department hiring committee.

Waddle began her career with the Iowa Department of Corrections at the Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility in 1998. She has served in numerous roles during her tenure including treatment services director at the Iowa State Penitentiary, associate warden of treatment at the Iowa Medical and Classification Center, and most recently as deputy warden of the Anamosa State Penitentiary.

Commenting on the Board’s approval, IDOC Director Beth Skinner said, “Michelle is such an incredible leader within our correctional system. Her years of experience and dedication to this department’s mission will serve ICIW well for years to come. I have nothing but confidence in her abilities and I look forward to her time leading our outstanding team members at ICIW.”

(Sidney, Iowa) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies on Sunday, arrested 39-year-old Tressa Dawn Haughton and 28-year-old Joseph William Michael Haughton, both of Hamburg, in connection with a narcotics distribution investigation in Hamburg.

Tressa Haughton was charged with Distribution of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class C Felony, and three counts of Conspiracy to distribute more than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class B Felony.

Joseph Haughton was charged with three counts of Conspiracy to distribute more than 5 grams of methamphetamine, a Class B Felony; Possession of Marijuana 3rd or subsequent offense, an Aggravated Misdemeanor; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Simple Misdemeanor.

Tressa Haughton

Joseph Haughton

Both were being held on $100,000 bond in the Fremont County Jail. On May 12th, Joseph Haughton was released from prison on separate charges out of Page County. (Photos provided by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office)