Charles City man sentenced to 10 years, lifetime parole for sexual abuse

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man found guilty in July of third-degree sexual abuse has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and a special lifetime parole once he is released.

Robert Ray Mannetter, age 29, was charged with performing a sex act on a 33-year-old woman by force or against her will, a Class C felony. The event took place July 3, 2017, in Charles City, according to court documents.

The special parole is an Iowa provision for sex offenders. Persons convicted of a Class B or C sexual crime are sentenced to the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections for the rest of their lives.

That means once they serve their prison sentence they can be released on parole or placed in a work release program and remain subject to supervision and additional penalties for violating the terms of their release for the rest of their lives.

District Court Judge James Drew last week also denied a motion by Mannetter for a new trial or that no judgment be entered against him.

His attorney had argued that the county attorney had made disparaging remarks against the defendant’s arguments during her closing arguments, and disagreed with some of the evidence and testimony that had been allowed during the trial.

County Attorney Rachel Ginbey disputed all of Mannetter’s claims and argued that the evidence supported the jury’s decision.

A Floyd County District Court jury had received the case on July 11 and returned the guilty verdict later that day.

Mannetter is also charged in a separate case with domestic abuse assault, choking, a Class D felony, for allegedly punching and placing his hand around the throat of a woman in June 2017; and child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor, for allegedly acting in a manner that created a substantial risk to one or more children, also in June 2017.

The trial on those charges is currently scheduled for Sept. 18 in Floyd County District Court.