Charles City man sentenced to up to 10 years on child sex crimes

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man charged with child sex abuse has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to two lesser charges.

Charles Earl Thompson, age 64, was sentenced Monday morning in Floyd County District Court. He had earlier pleaded guilty to lascivious acts with a child, a Class C felony, and dissemination and exhibition of obscene materials to a minor, a serious misdemeanor.

As part of a plea agreement with the Floyd County Attorney’s Office, three other charges were dropped, but the agreement included a recommendation that Thompson serve the prison time.

Charges of sexual abuse in the second degree, a Class B felony, and two charges of indecent contact with a child and a charge of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, the last three all aggravated misdemeanors, were dropped.

In addition to serving up to 10 years in prison on the felony charge, Judge DeDra Schroeder sentenced Thompson to a $1,000 fine and surcharge of 15%, suspended, and ordered him to serve the special sentence under Iowa law for convicted sex offenders that places him under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections for the rest of his life.

He was also ordered to register with the Iowa Sexual Offender Registry and pay court fees.

On the obscene materials charge, Schroeder sentenced Thompson to one year in the Floyd County Jail or alternate facility, with credit for time already served before trial. She levied a fine of $315 plus 15% surcharge, with the fine suspended.

Schroeder also entered a no-contact order between Thompson and his victim, a girl who was age 8-9 in 2018-2019 when the crimes occurred.

Thompson had been arrested and charged in October 2019. In February 2020, Schroeder ruled he was incompetent to act in his own defense, based on the recommendation of a state psychiatrist, and Thompson was sent to the Iowa Medical and Classification Center for treatment.

He initially refused to take the medication prescribed by a state psychiatrist, but Schroeder ordered that he be treated involuntarily if necessary.

In May, based on reports from the state psychiatrist, Schroeder ruled that Thompson had been found competent to stand trial, and ordered him transported back to Floyd County. He entered a plea of guilty to the two charges the day before his trial was to begin in October.