Charles City man sentenced to 17½ years in prison in child sex charge

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man was sentenced to 25 years in prison this week after pleading guilty to sexual abuse with a young girl. He will serve a minimum of 17½ years of the sentence.

The sentence was the result of a plea agreement that reduced the charge of sexual abuse in the second degree from a Class A felony — subject to a sentence of prison for life — to a Class B forcible felony, subject to serving at least 70% of the 25-year term.

James Tyrone Teel, age 33, was arrested in July under a preliminary charge of sexual abuse in the second degree, a Class B felony, for allegedly taking an 8-year-old girl into a bathroom at a business in Charles City and having sexual contact.

Video obtained from the business showed the man and the girl were in the restroom about seven minutes when the event allegedly occurred in June, according to the criminal complaint filed in Floyd County District Court.

Teel was formally charged with sexual abuse in the second degree as a Class A felony under an enhanced penalty rule after it was found he had previously been convicted of sexual abuse in the third degree in Johnson County in 2014.

Teel’s address on the original criminal complaint lists Iowa City, but on an application for counsel Teel listed his address as Charles City.

District Court Judge Chris Foy handed down the sentence in Floyd County District Court on Monday.

Teel’s plea was what is known as an Alford plea, where Teel agreed that the evidence in the case would be sufficient to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and would establish that he committed the offense, but he does not admit guilt. The legal effect is the same as a guilty plea and conviction.

Foy also sentenced Teel to Iowa’s special sentence for sexual crimes, meaning even if he is released he will remain under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Correctional Services for the rest of his life. He will also be required to register on the Iowa sexual offenders registry for life, pay restitution and pay other fees and charges.