DES MOINES, IA – A Des Moines man was sentenced today (Tuesday) to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking three adult females by force, fraud, and coercion and kidnapping one of the adult females; 30 years for sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor female; and 10 years for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently for a total term of 40 years in prison.

According to public court documents, Richard Thomas Ball, 47, used deceptive and coercive tactics as well as physical assaults to compel three adult females to engage in sex acts in exchange for money. Ball trafficked the victims and received proceeds from the victims’ sex acts. Ball kidnapped one of the victims during the course of trafficking her. Ball admitted that he transported the victim against her will in a vehicle from Missouri to Des Moines so that he could physically assault her during the trip as a form of revenge against another victim.

Ball also coerced three minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct and caused images and videos to be produced of those minor females engaged in such conduct. Ball sexually abused the three minor females, one of whom he began abusing at age 13 and continued for approximately five years. Additionally, Ball admitted to conspiring with others, including minors, to transport marijuana to Iowa and distribute it.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, and Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.

Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely.

Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Individuals who purchase sex from minors or from those who are otherwise exploited for commercial sex are also subject to prosecution for sex trafficking under federal law, if they knew or were in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18, or that force, fraud, or coercion was used.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is receiving 11 million dollars in federal money for grants to various safety programs in Iowa. Bureau Chief Brett Tjepkes (Jep-keys) says one program helps refugees with driver education.

He says it’s an important for people who are new to Iowa.

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition is also getting grant money.

The Iowa Restaurant Association and Mothers Against Drunk Driving are receiving grants.

Tjepkes says traffic deaths in the state are already more than 300 this year and they hope these grants will help bring that number down.

You can see a complete list of the grants at the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau website.

(Radio Iowa) – A heavily wooded state park in northwest Iowa is the site of an unusual event held this Saturday. It’s called the “Fright Hike” and it covers about half a mile in Fort Defiance State Park near Estherville. Lexie Ruter is executive director of the Estherville Chamber of Commerce. “We are getting everything prepped and ready to go for our one-night-only event where we usually get 1200 people out in three and a half hours,” she says, “so it’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun.”

This will be the 11th annual Fright Hike — held the Saturday before Halloween each year — held in the woods of the state park that’s about two-and-a-half miles outside of Estherville.  “We’ve got a lot of new people doing some new things this year, so it should be scary and not just the same thing as every year before,” Ruter says. “so hopefully everyone leaves scared, having had a good time.” The “Fright Night” festivities begin just before sunset this Saturday, but Ruter says the half mile route will be lit for the first hour.

“From 6 to 7 p.m. we have our ‘lights on’ hour which is when we encourage those who want a little bit less of a scary experience to come out. We do kind of take it a little bit easier if there is a child who is upset or something like that. We will back off between 6 and 7 p.m.,” Ruter says. “From 7 to 9:30 is a ‘full scare,’ so those two and a half hours are your typical haunted hour style scarings.”

A ticket to the Fright Hike at Fort Defiance is 10 dollars. Halloween has become one of the biggest consumer holidays of the year and the National Retail Federation predicts Americans will spend a record 12-point-two BILLION dollars on Halloween costumes, candy, decorations and haunted houses this year. The National Retail Federation’s annual survey found seven out of 10 people said they would participate in Halloween activities.

OTTUMWA – Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections report 35-year-old Preston Kash Ingram, convicted of Robbery 2nd Degree and other charges in Lee County, failed to report back to the Ottumwa Residential Facility as required last Friday. Ingram stands 5-feet, 11-inches tall, weighs 195 pounds. He was admitted to the work release facility on July 11, 2023.

Persons with information on Ingram’s whereabouts should contact local police.

Preston Kash Ingram

(Guthrie Center, Iowa) – The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says no injuries were reported, following three accidents that took place last Thursday (Oct. 19, 2023). The first crash happened at around 10-a.m., and involved a pickup truck and an SUV. Authorities say a 2018 Chevy Silverado pickup driven by 49-year-old James Allen Black, of Johnston, was westbound on Highway 44 from Avenue A, at the same time a 2020 Nissan Murano driven by 47-year-old Tanny Marie Miller, of Guthrie Center, was traveling eastbound.

The pickup crossed the center line of the road, into the path of the SUV. Miller tried to avoid the collision, but her SUV was struck on the driver’s side rear door by the pickup. The SUV came to rest in the east ditch. The pickup stopped on the west side shoulder of the road. Damage from the crash amounted to $15,000. Deputies cited Black for Failure to Maintain Control, and Driving on the wrong side of the highway.

The second accident in Guthrie County, last Thursday, happened at around 12:32-p.m., on eastbound Highway 141. Authorities say a 2008 Kenworth semi driven by 40-year-old Floyd Peterman, of Corning, and a 2005 Ford F-350 Super Duty pickup driven by 35-year-old Amalia Easton, of Ankeny, were traveling west on Highway 141 at Rose Avenue, When the pickup slowed to make a right-hand turn into a driveway, the semi struck a trailer attached to the pickup, causing Easton to lose control. The vehicle rolled into the westbound ditch. The semi stopped on the west shoulder of the road. Damage from the collision amounted to $30,000. No citations were issued.

The third accident in Guthrie County, Thursday, occurred at around 7:05-p.m., on Iowa Highway 4. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office reports a 2022 Chevy Trailblazer SUV driven by 34-year-old Breanna Mink, of Jamaica, was traveling south on the highway, when her vehicle struck a deer. The vehicle sustained $4,000 damage.