Charles City man charged with four counts of sexual abuse

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Charles City man has been charged with four counts of sexual abuse in the third degree.

According to documents filed in Floyd County District Court, Ronald D. Stewart, age 59, of Charles City, was arrested last Thursday, Sept. 2, and charged with sexually touching a girl while she was age 14 and 15, between January 2020 and August 2021. The charges are Class C felonies.

The alleged victim is not identified in public court records, but the same initials for the alleged victim are used in each of the four criminal complaints filed in District Court.

Stewart made an initial appearance before a Floyd County magistrate on Friday and was released under the supervisor of the Iowa Department of Correctional Services. A no-contact order was also issued between Stewart and the alleged victim.

Preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 13, but often the county attorney’s office will file a trial information formally listing the charges, in which case the preliminary hearing is not held and the next step would be arraignment, which can also be filed in written form by the defendant’s attorney.