Iowa Teen Spared Jail Time in Child Molestation Case

affluenzateentoremaininjail-jpg

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — An online petition is calling for an Iowa judge’s removal after a 19-year-old man was spared jail time after pleading guilty to a child molestation charge involving a toddler.

KTVO-TV reports Kraigen Grooms pleaded guilty to a count of engaging in a lascivious act with a child in July.

Wapello County Attorney Gary Oldenburger tells the station that Grooms received a 10-year suspended sentence and five years of supervised release Monday. He’s also required to register as a sex offender.

The station reports that law enforcement told them after Grooms’ 2014 arrest that there was videotaped evidence of Grooms assaulting a 1-year-old.

The petition seeks Judge Randy DeGeest’s removal from office. DeGeest hasn’t returned a request for comment from The Associated Press.