Nashua man’s bail changed on child sex charges; trial set in December

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Nashua man charged with 10 sex crimes involving young children, including two B felony sexual abuse charges, had his bail amount changed this week after his third bond review hearing.

The amount of bond required for the release of Ethan William Vorhes was increased from the previous $57,000 to $70,000, but it was also changed from a cash-only bail to one allowing a surety bond, where Vorhes would pay a percentage of the total amount to a bonding company which would then post the bail.

Vorhes, age 39, has been charged with two counts of sexual abuse in the second degree, Class B felonies; two counts of sexual abuse in the third degree, Class C felonies; two counts of lascivious acts with a child, Class C felonies; two counts of indecent contact with a child, aggravated misdemeanors; one count of indecent exposure, a serious misdemeanor; and one count of disseminating or exhibiting obscene material to a minor, a serious misdemeanor.

Vorhes was arrested Aug. 31 and is being held in the Floyd County Jail. His bail was initially set at $57,000 cash only. Vorhes’ attorney, then Matthew Pittenger of Mason City, in September requested a bail review hearing, and submitted letters from six family members and friends advocating for a bail reduction.

District Court Judge James Drew ruled that the $57,000 cash bond should remain.

In October, Vorhes’ new attorney, Nicholas Sarcone of Des Moines, again requested a bail review hearing, arguing that the Iowa Constitution requires bail to be set to allow a surety bond. At the second bond review hearing, District Court Judge DeDra Schroeder ruled that the bond would remain.

Sarcone then filed a motion saying that the constitutional question he raised in his previous motion had not been addressed, and that no ruling had articulated why a cash-only bond was necessary to ensure Vorhes’ future court appearances.

A third district court judge, Judge Chris Foy, held a bond review hearing on Monday, Nov. 21, and he filed his decision on Monday this week.

Foy noted that Vorhes is charged with 10 sex-related offenses, and “If convicted of all charges, Defendant faces a potential indeterminate sentence of up to 96 years in prison.”

Foy ruled that because of the potential penalty if convicted, Vorhes is a flight risk and he agreed with the Floyd County Attorney’s Office that the amount of bail should be increased, raising it to $70,000.

“At the same time, the Court finds that the ‘cash only’ aspect of  his present bond is unduly harsh and Defendant should be allowed to post bond through a corporate surety,” Foy wrote.

If Vorhes does post bond he is to remain under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Correctional Services, Foy said.

He also ordered that Vorhes is to have no contact with the alleged victims, have no unsupervised contact with any minor except as authorized by the Department of Correctional Services, and he must not leave Iowa.

According to records filed in Floyd County District Court, two girls, one who was age 11 to 13 when the events allegedly occurred, the other who was between the ages of 12 and 15 at the time, said that Vorhes touched their breasts and genitals on several occasions. Vorhes is also accused of exposing his own genitals to the girls, forcing them to watch pornography and forcing them to touch him.

The court documents say the girls reported the alleged acts to their mother, then repeated the allegations to local law enforcement, the Iowa Department of Human Services and Child Protective Services. The acts allegedly occurred between November 2018 and June 2022.

Trial in the case is currently set for Dec. 20 in Floyd County District Court.