Christopher King. Courtesy: Des Moines County Sheriff's Department
Former Burlington City Councilman and downtown photography studio owner Chris King has plead not guilty to charges that he sexually abused several minors by luring them with his photography business.
The plea was filed last week in writing in Des Moines County Court. King is charged with three counts of sexual abuse, one count of assault with penetration of genitalia or the anus, dissemination of obscene material to minors, and indecent exposure.
The charges stem from an investigation that started in February when a group of parents went to police concerned that their daughters, customers of King’s photography studio, had been molested. Police say that those victims were contacted through social media following their initial sitting, and offered “discounts” on their photo sessions if they came to the studio to “assist” King. King would then, allegedly, provide the teenage girls with alcoholic beverages and drive to locations in rural Des Moines county, where according to police, he would expose his genitalia, fondle the victims and force them to engage in sexually oriented games.
Some victims say that King even attempted to give them money to have sex with him–if they refused, police say he would attempt to rape them.
Police investigators say that King allegedly admitted to the crimes.
During a hearing on Monday, King asked the judge to reduce his cash-only bond in order to be released from jail, where he has sat for the past month. That request was not immediately granted. A jury trial has been set for July 21st.
