Charles City man sentenced to up to 3 years for sexual contacts with minor

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man who was found not guilty of a felony sex act with a child, but convicted of two lesser charges, has been sentenced to a total of up to three years in prison and jail, and placed on special probation for 10 years.

A Floyd County District Court jury in December had found James Arvin Boehmer, age 46, not guilty of a charge of lascivious acts with a child, a Class C felony. The acts had been alleged to have occurred between 2014 and 2016.

He was found guilty of the charge of indecent contacts with a child for touching the breasts of a girl between the time she was 10 and 13 for the purpose of arousing or satisfying sexual desires, an aggravated misdemeanor.

Boehmer was also found guilty of lascivious conduct with a minor, for allegedly forcing, persuading of coercing a minor, with or without consent, to fully or partially disrobe for the purpose of arousing or satisfying sexual desires, a serious misdemeanor.

Sentencing was held Friday, Jan. 24, in Floyd County District Court, and Judge Chris Foy sentenced Boehmer to up to two years in prison, a $625 fine plus statutory 35% surcharge, and other fees and surcharges on the indecent contact conviction.

He also sentenced Boehmer to register on the Iowa sex offender registry, and sentenced him to what Iowa calls a special sentence for certain sexually related crimes.

The special sentence places Boehmer under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections for 10 years after the other parts of his sentence end, similar to being on probation.

On the lascivious conduct charge, Foy sentenced Boehmer to serve one year in the county jail or alternate facility as designated by the sheriff, plus a $315 fine and 35% surcharge and other fees.

Foy ordered the prison and jail sentences to run consecutively, or one after another, for a total of up to three years incarceration.
Boehmer’s legal team immediately filed an intention to appeal various rulings made by the judge during the trial, including a ruling by Foy after the verdict was presented to not grant a new trial.

As part of the sentencing, five letters were submitted by Boehmer’s relatives, testifying to his qualities as a person and a father, expressing doubt that he could have done the things he was accused of, and asking the judge for leniency and that Boehmer not be incarcerated.