Compiled from Fayette County Sheriff’s Office news releases TUESDAY The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office was called at 10:29 a.m. Tuesday, March 28, to Washington Street in Elgin for a disturbance. After an investigation, deputies arrested Jayson Vazquez-Munoz, 37, of Elgin, on charges of domestic abuse assault causing injury (Class D felony), obstruct emergency communications (serious misdemeanor), and false imprisonment (serious misdemeanor). He was taken to the Fayette County Jail where he was held for an initial appearance and later bonded out on a $2,000 bond. Fayette County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Elgin Ambulance Service. WEDNESDAY The Fayette County … Continue reading Fayette County Sheriff’s Report

A former city clerk is accused of embezzling more than $131,000 from Elgin cumulatively between 2017 to 2021. Rhonda Faye Dales, 62, of Clermont, is charged in Fayette County District Court with first-degree theft (Class C felony). Her initial court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 12, at the county courthouse in West Union. According to a news release, the Sheriff’s Office completed its investigation on March 7. The Fayette County Attorney’s Office turned over the investigation to the sherif after the State Auditor completed a report requested by the city of Elgin after City Clerk Rhonda Faye Dales … Continue reading Former Elgin city clerk charged with theft

3 Arlington residents arrested on drug charges On Thursday, March 16, about 5:30 a.m., a Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of 90th Street and Highway 187, Arlington, and arrested James Alfred Cornwell, 40, of Arlington, on charges of driving while license suspended and no proof of financial liability, both simple misdemeanors. The West Union Police Department/Drug Canine Unit assisted and canine indicated on suspect vehicle. During the execution of a subsequent search warrant authorities seized crystalized substances, marijuana, paraphernalia, and US currency. Then on March 19, the Sheriff’s Office and Iowa State Patrol executed … Continue reading Fayette County Sheriff’s Report

A Fayette County judge has denied a do-over for a pipeline company that lost a unique stray voltage lawsuit, but he agreed with trimming the $475 million damage award. District 5 Judge David Nelmark issued his written ruling on Wednesday, March 8, turning down all post-trial motions by Northern Natural Gas requesting a new trial over the action brought by the Vagts family an Vagts Dairy Farm. Nelmark did back a motion by Northern to trim the $500,000 from the award based on a settlement reached with a former co-defendant in the search. The Vagts supported the motion. A Fayette … Continue reading Judge rules against do-over of stray voltage trial

A Fayette County jury has found a former Oelwein man guilty of one of two counts of third-degree sexual assault. Isaiah Cecil Hakeem Duffield, 20, formerly of Oelwein, is scheduled to be sentenced at 10 a.m. April 24 at the courthouse in West Union. The jury began deliberations and reached its verdicts on Tuesday, finding him guilty of abusing a teenage girl on Jan. 1, 2022. The jury ruled he was not guilty of abusing another teenage girl on April 9, 2022. The jury had the option to rule Duffield guilty of the lesser charges of assault with intent to … Continue reading Former Oelwein man found guilty on one count of sexual abuse

Two arrested on drug charges On March 2, the Oelwein Police Department served a search warrant at 220 ½ 1st Ave. NW in Oelwein.  During the search, two individuals were arrested and charged with the following crimes: Joshua James Levendusky (40) of Oelwein was arrested and charged with; Brandy Lynn Schoultz (37) of Oelwein was arrested and charged with; Two outstanding Fayette County arrest warrants were also served on Schoultz. Both were transported to the Fayette County Jail after their arrest.  The Oelwein Police Department was assisted by the Independence Police Department and the Independence Police Department Canine Unit. March 6 At 1:17 p.m. Oelwein … Continue reading Oelwein Police Reports

The trial has begun of a convicted sex offender accused of two assaults on teenage girls at their home last year. Isaiah Cecil-Hakeem Duffield, 20, formerly of Oelwein, is charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse (Class C felonies) related to alleged incidents involving a 16-year-old on Jan. 1, 2022 and and a 17-year-old on April 10, 2022. The Fayette County District Court trial before Judge Richard Stochl, began Wednesday, March 1. Twelve jurors and one alternate were seated on Thursday. The jury is composed of seven women and six men. Continue reading Former Oelwein man on trial for additional sex abuse charges

On Feb. 21st, at about 2:25 p.m. Fayette County Deputies located and arrested 24-year-old Gustavo Macias Torres of Hawkeye on a valid Fayette County Warrant for sexual assault in the third degree and dissemination and exhibition of obscene Material to a Minor. The charges stem from a month-long investigation completed by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. Torres is being held on $12,000 cash only bond at the Fayette County Jail. Continue reading Hawkeye man arrested on sex abuse charge

Oelwein Police investigated a motor vehicle accident at East Charles and 1st Ave at 3:05 p.m. on Feb. 9. A Ford Edge driven by Dawn Ledesma collided with a Kenworth truck driven by Travis Michels. Initial estimates of damage were $1,500 to the vehicle driven by Ledesma and $1,500 to the vehicle driven by Michels. Michels was cited for failure to obey a traffic control device. The Oelwein Police were assisted by the Oelwein Fire Department and Mercy Oelwein Ambulance. At 5:08 p.m. on Feb. 9, Oelwein Police arrested Aaron David Elledge, 46, of Arlington, on charges of possession of … Continue reading Oelwein Police Reports (Feb. 9-13

Sunday, Feb. 12 At about 2:10 a.m., a Fayette County Sheriff’s deputy stopped a vehicle for a traffic infraction at the intersection of 1st Avenue Northeast and 5th Street Northeast, Oelwein. Illegal substances were found and seized. Kashell Elexsis Allison, 29, of Oelwein, was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance 3rd offense (Class D felony) and operating while intoxicated 2nd offense (aggravated misdemeanor). Tylor Andrew Richmond, 31 of West Union, was arrested on charges of first-offense possession of marijuana (serious misdemeanor) and possession of drug paraphernalia, (simple misdemeanor). Richmond and Allison were taken into custody and transported … Continue reading Fayette County Sheriff’s Reports (Feb. 2, 12)

Isaiah Cecil Hakeem Duffield, 20, of Ridgeway, pleaded guilty to the amended charge of third-degree criminal mischief (aggravated misdemeanor) and was sentenced to 270 days in jail with credit for time served. An $855 fine and surcharge were suspended. He was ordered to pay $2,500 in restitution. He was originally charged with second-degree criminal mischief (Class D felony). According to the criminal complaint, Duffield and four others, including three juveniles, caused more than $9,000 damage to freestanding bathrooms and fencing at the Fayette County Fairgrounds on June 20, 2021. Continue reading Duffield sentenced over fairgrounds damage

A Fayette man is facing multiple charges, including a felony count, after allegedly breaking into at least 10 vehicles at a Sumner business. Following a search of his Chevrolet K1500 extended cab pickup, Justin Troy Steinbronn, 33, was arrested and charged with second-degree theft (Class D felony), and 10 counts of vehicle burglary (aggravated misdemeanors), says a news release from the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office received a report on Tuesday, Feb. 7, about multiple vehicles being broken into at Meyer Custom Chevy.  At about 2:30 a.m., a search warrant was executed on Steinbronn’s vehicle in Fayette and numerous … Continue reading Fayette man accused of Sumner thefts

Reports supplied by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office. Friday, Feb. 3 At 7:17 p.m. the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a car vs. deer accident on V68 north of 255th Street. Upon further investigation, the driver of the 2023 Toyota Highlander, Lisa M. Kleiss 60, of Fredericksburg, was traveling south when a couple of deer entered the roadway. Kleiss was unable to stop and struck the deer. The Toyota sustained approximately $6,000 in damage, but no one was injured in the accident. Saturday, Feb. 4 At about 1:15 a.m., the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call in Maynard.  After … Continue reading Fayette County Sheriff’s Report — Feb. 3-4

It began with a car stuck in the snow and ended with jailers allegedly finding cocaine wrapped in money in a wallet. Jason J. Laurie, 43, of Oelwein, is charged in Fayette County District Court with interference with official acts (misdemeanor), public intoxication (misdemeanor), and third-offense possession of a controlled substance (Class D felony.). According to court documents, Oelwein Police responded to a report of an abandoned car in the 300 block of 7th Avenue Southeast around 9:20 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29. The gold Chevrolet Cobalt sedan was stuck in a front yard and officers spotted a man with a … Continue reading Stuck car, then a drug charge