Nashua man gets up to 10 years in prison on child sex crimes

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Nashua man was sentenced to spend up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to child sex charges in an agreement that reduced the severity of the charges.

Ethan William Vorhes, age 40, was sentenced in Floyd County District Court last week to indeterminate terms of up to five years in prison on each of two counts of endangerment as a sexually motivated offense, both Class D felonies.

Judge Chris Foy ordered that the sentences be served consecutively rather than at the same time, adding up to the total 10 years. That sentence had been recommended as part of the plea agreement with the Floyd County Attorney’s Office.

Foy also imposed Iowa’s special sentence for sexual crimes, which will place Vorhes under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Correctional Services for 10 years after he is released from prison, and ordered that he register with the Iowa Sex Offender Registry.

He also imposed a fine of $1,025 plus 15% surcharge on each offense, but suspended the fines, and ruled that Vorhes did have the ability to pay crime victim assistance reimbursement, other restitution, as well as court-appointed attorney fees and court costs.

Vorhes had originally 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.

In the plea agreement, one of the counts of sexual abuse in the second degree and one of the counts of sexual abuse in the third degree were both reduced to charges of child endangerment as a sexually motivated offense.

While free on bond on the sexual charges, Vorhes was charged with assault on a firefighter when the Marble Rock Fire Department responded to a field fire where Vorhes said he was conducting a controlled burn.

The criminal complaint alleges that after Marble Rock firefighters began to extinguish the fire, Vorhes sprayed a firefighter with fuel.

Vorhes was charged with possession of explosive or incendiary materials or devices with intent to commit a public offense, a Class C felony; assault on persons in certain occupations with intent to inflict serious injury and assault on persons in certain occupations while using or displaying a dangerous weapon, both Class D felonies; and reckless use of fire or explosives, a serious misdemeanor.

Vorhes pleaded guilty last week to a charge of assault on persons engaged in certain occupations, an aggravated misdemeanor, and Foy sentenced him to an indeterminate term in prison of up to two years.

Foy ordered that sentence to be served concurrently (at the same time) as the sentences in the child endangerment charges. He also imposed a fine of $855 plus 15% surcharge, but suspended the fine.