An investigation into the sexual assault and exploitation of 10 prepubescent girls has resulted in the conviction of a southern Iowa man. The U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa reports a judge on Thursday sentenced 31-year old Timothy Ryan Zollman, of Van Wert, to 120-years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Zollman was earlier convicted on two counts of child pornography production, which included the videotaping of the sexual assaults.

Timothy Ryan Zollman

U-S Attorney Kevin VanderSchel said Zollman was a “Dangerous predator,” who “Was brought to justice because one of his victims, a young girl, was brave enough to report his criminal actions.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, U-S Dept. of Homeland Security, U-S Marshals Service, the Iowa DCI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Decatur, Ringgold and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices, Creston Police Dept., Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the South Dakota Dept. of Criminal Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the U-S Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, as part of the U-S Dept. of Justice’s “Project Safe Child” initiative.

Any person having knowledge of a child being sexually assaulted, is encouraged to call the Iowa Sexual Abuse Hotline, at 1-800-284-7821.

BLAIR, Neb. (AP) – A new filing with the Nebraska Department of Labor says about 400 Omaha Public Power District employees involved with the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant will lose their jobs by the end of 2019. District spokeswoman Jodi Baker tells the Omaha World-Herald that the number of affected employees is an estimate. The utility expected to have a more precise figure as it creates a clearer plan for closing the plant (located across the Missouri River from Missouri Valley).

The filing says the layoffs will occur in “several rounds.” The utility notified the first group of 58 employees on Sept. 1 that it would terminate their positions on Oct. 31, a week after the nuclear plant is scheduled to permanently halt operations. The Fort Calhoun nuclear plant is 20 miles north of Omaha. It employed about 700 people at its peak.

Officials with the Atlantic Police Department announced on their social media page today (Friday), Christian Holzapfel was recently sworn-in as the Department’s newest officer. Christian was hired in August to fill the open spot left by Lieutenant Jon Parsons, who retired in July after 25+ years of service.

The A-PD says they look forward to Christian growing with the department and that he looks forward to serving the community.

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones administers the Oath of Honor and Conduct to Christian Holzapfel. (Photo from the A-PD’s Facebook page)

Police in Creston say a resident in the 600 block of Wyoming Avenue reported Thursday, that sometime between Sept. 6th and 8th, someone stole two tires and rims from a trailer parked outside the residence. The loss was estimated at $201.