Former corrections officer arrested on sex charges
By Dolly A. ButzJournal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, February 23, 2008
HAWARDEN, Iowa -- A report of inappropriate text messages led to the arrest of a Sioux City man Thursday in Sioux County on a sexual abuse charge.
Joshua Brunsting, 22, a former correctional officer, was charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a class C felony, and sexual exploitation of a minor, an aggravated misdemeanor.
Woodbury County Sheriff Glenn Parrett said Brunsting had worked at the Woodbury County Jail. He said Brunsting resigned from his position, effective Friday.
On Wednesday, according to the Sioux County Sheriff's Office, officers from the Hawarden Police Department and the Sioux County Sheriff's Office responded to West Sioux High School in Hawarden to investigate a report of inappropriate text messages. The sheriff's office said the text messages were found on a student's cell phone and were of a sexual nature.
Investigators learned that the text messages were between Brunsting and two girls ages 12 and 14. The sheriff's office said Brunsting allegedly had recently made random contact with the two girls, whom he did not know, using a cell phone. Due to the ongoing investigation, Sioux County Sheriff Dan Altena said Friday that he could not release further information about how Brunsting obtained the juveniles' cell phone numbers.
Further investigation revealed that on Feb. 16, Brunsting and the 14-year-old met at her rural Hawarden residence, where they allegedly had sexual intercourse, according to the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office also said investigators recovered a photograph of a partially naked 12-year-old girl on Brunsting's cell phone.
Brunsting was booked into the Sioux County Jail. Altena said he was set to appear before a magistrate Friday morning.
If convicted, Altena said, Brunsting could face a 15-year penalty for the class C felony and two years in prison for the aggravated misdemeanor.
"He's looking at pretty serious jail or prison time," Altena said.
Brunsting would also be required to register as a sex offender if convicted.
Joshua Brunsting, 22, a former correctional officer, was charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a class C felony, and sexual exploitation of a minor, an aggravated misdemeanor.
Woodbury County Sheriff Glenn Parrett said Brunsting had worked at the Woodbury County Jail. He said Brunsting resigned from his position, effective Friday.
On Wednesday, according to the Sioux County Sheriff's Office, officers from the Hawarden Police Department and the Sioux County Sheriff's Office responded to West Sioux High School in Hawarden to investigate a report of inappropriate text messages. The sheriff's office said the text messages were found on a student's cell phone and were of a sexual nature.
Investigators learned that the text messages were between Brunsting and two girls ages 12 and 14. The sheriff's office said Brunsting allegedly had recently made random contact with the two girls, whom he did not know, using a cell phone. Due to the ongoing investigation, Sioux County Sheriff Dan Altena said Friday that he could not release further information about how Brunsting obtained the juveniles' cell phone numbers.
Further investigation revealed that on Feb. 16, Brunsting and the 14-year-old met at her rural Hawarden residence, where they allegedly had sexual intercourse, according to the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office also said investigators recovered a photograph of a partially naked 12-year-old girl on Brunsting's cell phone.
Brunsting was booked into the Sioux County Jail. Altena said he was set to appear before a magistrate Friday morning.
If convicted, Altena said, Brunsting could face a 15-year penalty for the class C felony and two years in prison for the aggravated misdemeanor.
"He's looking at pretty serious jail or prison time," Altena said.
Brunsting would also be required to register as a sex offender if convicted.
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Erin wrote on Jul 28, 2008 11:56 PM:
Please wrote on Feb 23, 2008 9:27 PM:
Todd wrote on Feb 23, 2008 3:35 PM: