COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A southwest Iowa man was sentenced Monday in Council Bluffs U-S District Court, to serve slightly more than 17-years in prison, for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography. In addition, the judge ordered 33-year-old Kenneth Howard Crum, Jr., of Sidney, to serve 10 years of supervised release following his imprisonment.

According to court documents, Crum pleaded guilty to the offenses in June of 2021. In November 2020, law enforcement investigated Crum for harassing his ex-wife through postings on the internet. The investigation revealed Crum also took pictures of children and posted the images on various internet websites. A search warrant was obtained to seize Crum’s
cellular telephone and a forensic examination of the cell phone located images and videos of child pornography, most involving children less than 12 years of age.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation – Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a man from Atlantic, 39-year-old Christopher M. Jespersen, was sentenced Monday (Oct. 25) to 10-years in prison, for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. His prison term will be followed by five-years of supervised release. Additionally, Jespersen was sentenced to 15 months to be served after his 120- month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release from a prior conviction.

According to court documents, Jespersen pleaded guilty to the offense in June of 2021. In March of 2021, Jespersen was stopped for a traffic violation while driving in Dallas  County, Iowa. A lawful search of Jespersen’s vehicle recovered over 100 grams of methamphetamine along with digital scales and other drug distribution paraphernalia.

Dallas County Sheriff’s Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Task Force, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement investigated the case.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – A woman from Humboldt County died early Monday morning as the result of a crash south of Interstate 80 in Cass County. According to the Iowa State Patrol, a 2001 Lincoln LS driven by 26-year-old Bryce Baker, of Atlantic, was traveling south on 620th/Olive Street at around 5:30-a.m., when for reasons unknown, the car crossed the center line of the road and struck a northbound 2010 Chevy pickup, head-on, just south of Dallas Road.

A passenger in one of the vehicles, 29-year-old Griffin Ferguson, of Humboldt, died at the scene. She was not wearing a seat belt. Baker, and the driver of the pickup, 64-year-old Bernard Sullivan, of Atlantic, was injured and flown by helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Des Moines. Both men were wearing seat belts. The accident remains under investigation.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office, Atlantic Fire and Rescue and Cass EMS assisted at the scene. LifeFlight and AirMed helicopters transported the injured crash victims.

(Radio Iowa) – Some Iowans are still trying to decide what they’ll wear to this weekend’s Halloween costume party, but one expert is urging them to think ahead to their year-end holiday travel plans and book them, pronto. Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman for Triple-A-Iowa, says the sooner you lock in your plane tickets, hotel reservations or cruise plans, the better.

“As we’re getting closer to the holidays, the cost for airfare rises and the availability shrinks,” Mitts says. “So, the farther out you can plan those flights and those items, the better chance you have of getting those ideal time slots and being able to make those plans in a cost-efficient way and get where you want to go on time.” Travel troubles, especially with airlines, have made the news lately and if you haven’t bought travel insurance in the past, Mitts says you may want to start.

“What we’ve been seeing recently is numerous flight delays or cancellations and there will be a possibility for that to happen around the holidays,” Mitts says. “Travel insurance can help protect you if there are unexpected costs, such as a hotel, transportation or food. You may also receive compensation if there is lost luggage or if your flight is delayed for as little as three hours.” A survey by the motor club finds 35-percent of Iowa respondents say they’ve already reserved their holiday trips by the end of October. So where are they going?

“Iowans are planning to go to a major city or metro — about 34% of them are going to one of those two locations, but almost half of the Iowans are going somewhere else with easy access to the great outdoors,” Mitts says. “Beach destinations, state and national parks, and resort vacations top those lists followed by land tours.” Travel was down significantly a year ago due to the pandemic, but the advent of COVID-19 vaccines has changed perceptions. Mitts says compared to last year, when the vaccine wasn’t available, 26-percent of Iowans surveyed say they’re more comfortable traveling this holiday season. Over half (56%) say they feel the same as last year. Also, more than a quarter (27%) of Iowans site a fear of contracting or spreading COVID-19 as their reason for not traveling this holiday season.

(Greenfield, Iowa) – The Adair County Sheriff’s Office reports a man from southeastern Iowa was being held at the Adair County Jail on a $500,000 cash-only bond. 18-year-old Gaige Matthew Schwochow, of Ottumwa, was arrested Oct. 17t in Fontanelle, by Adair County Deputies. He was wanted on an Adair County Felony warrant issued Oct. 14th, for: Lascivious Acts with a child – inflict pain or discomfort; Enticing a minor under 13 – sexual abuse or exploitation; Lascivious Acts with a child – solicitation; and Sexual Abuse in the 2nd Degree.  Additional information concerning the charges was not immediately available.

Sheriff Jeff Vandewater said there were four other, separate arrests:

• 19-year-old Cole Michael Pfister, of Tiffin, was arrested Oct. 18th for Driving While License Denied or Revoked. He was taken into custody by an Iowa State Patrol Trooper, following a traffic stop for excessive window tint, while he was traveling on I-80 in Adair County. Pfister was being held in the Adair County Jail, on a $1,000 cash or surety bond.
• 36-year-old Derik Wayne Bud Pickrell, of West Des Moines, was arrested Oct. 19th at the Polk County Jail, on Adair County warrants for two counts – Violation of Probation. He remains held in the jail without bond.
• Also arrested Oct. 19th, was 35-year-old Maria Soledad Pantoja, of Afton, who was arrested for OWI/1st offense. She was later cited and released.
• And, on Oct. 20th, 51-year-old Ronald Lee Bacon, of Altoona, was arrested in Greenfield on an Adair County warrant for three Felony counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree. His cash-only bond was set at $10,000.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – No injuries were reported following a collision this (Monday) morning, in Red Oak. Police say a van rear-ended a semi-tractor trailer at around 8:45-a.m., near the intersection of Highway 48 and W. Oak Street.  The incident occurred when 30-year old Bailie Preston, of Atlantic, became distracted by a child in the back seat of the 2019 Dodge Van she was driving. The eastbound van was slowing down, but did not come to a complete stop before it hit the back of a 2020 Freightliner semi driven by 67-year-old Kenneth Hamman, of Red Oak, who was stopped at the stop light.

The truck – registered to UPS out of Des Moines – sustained $500 damage.