<div>LE MARS — A 45-year-old Akron man with a lengthy criminal history was convicted of two felonies by a Plymouth County jury last week.Charles Wayne Dickson was found guilty of second-degree sexual abuse, a Class B felony, and incest, a Class D felony, on Thursday, Oct. 10. A sentencing date has not yet been set, but Dickson faces a mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison for second-degree sexual abuse and will be required to serve a minimum of 70 percent of that sentence before being eligible for parole or work release. He also faces an additional prison sentence of five years for the incest conviction.The sexual abuse charge state that between approximately Jan. 1, 2023, through, on or about, March 31, 2023, Dickson committed sexual abuse upon a child under 14 years of age.During those same dates, he committed incest by performing a sex act with another person knowing that person was related to the defendant, court papers state.County Attorney Darin J. Raymond said he handled the Dickson case from its initial report in August 2023 by Akron Police Chief Bill Young, and through all of its investigation up until trial.“Shortly after initial report, I requested Iowa DCI (Division of Criminal Investigation) assist with the case,” Raymond told The Le Mars Sentinel. “Two special agents from DCI took over the investigation.”Plymouth County Assistant Attorney Drew Bockenstedt prosecuted the case before Third Judicial Circuit Judge Zachary S. Hindman. Michael Jacobsma served as the defense lawyer.“At trial, Dr. Sabrina Seehafer from the Iowa DCI labs testified regarding the DNA testing of the defendant, victim, and infant finding a 99.9999 percent match that the defendant was the father of the victim and her child,” Raymond said. “An expert witness from Mercy Child Advocacy testified regarding how young/child victims often respond to being victimized. Dr. Julia Briener from Siouxland Pathology testified about her expert opinions regarding the age of the infant and collection of tissue that was preserved and used for DNA testing. The victim’s OB doctor also testified regarding the victim’s prenatal care and gestational age of the infant relating to conception.”He said another witness took the stand as well.“And very bravely, the victim herself testified and identified the defendant as the person who had sexually abused her,” Raymond said. “The jury deliberated approximately an hour before returning a unanimous verdict.”Dickson has a lengthy record of arrests and offenses. Some are traffic citations, while others are more serious.On Jan. 4, the Tri-County CERT executed a search warrant at his home at 800 Dakota St. in Akron as the result of an ongoing investigation by the Akron Police Department.He was charged with three counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person/convicted felon and held in the Plymouth County Jail on a $15,000 bond.Tri-County CERT is a regional asset made of up deputies and officers from the Plymouth, Sioux and Cherokee county sheriff’s offices, and the Le Mars and Cherokee Police Departments.The case, which eventually had seven counts, was dismissed on Sept. 13, with Judge Hidman basing his decision on its interpretation of evolving issues and Supreme Court rulings, both state and federal, involving Second Amendment rights and how that effects felons and domestic violence offenders, Raymond explained.“I have made a request to the criminal appeals division of the (Iowa Attorney General’s) office to review the court’s ruling and consider appeal,” he said. “By statute all criminal appeals are handled by the AG’s office.”On Dec. 20, Dickson was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree harassment, reportedly for threats he made against a social worker. Those charges were dismissed on Jan. 6 at the request of the Plymouth County Attorney’s Office, which said they were joined with another matter.Dickson earlier was charged with four counts of violating a no contact protection order stemming from a 2004 case when he pleaded guilty to first-degree harassment.Those four charges are still pending, with a plea deal on the table.In 2010, he was charged with simple assault. That charge was later dropped.On Sept. 8, 2004, Dickson was arrested on a charge of being a fugitive from justice from California. That case was dismissed a month later.</div>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Akron man convicted of sex abuse, incest

LE MARS — A 45-year-old Akron man with a lengthy criminal history was convicted of two felonies by a Plymouth County jury last week. Charles Wayne Dickson was found guilty of second-degree sexual abuse, a Class B felony, and incest, a Class D felony, on Thursday, Oct. 10. A sentencing date has not yet been set, but Dickson faces a mandatory sentence of 25 years in prison for second-degree sexual abuse and will be required to serve a minimum of 70 percent of that sentence before being eligible for parole or work release. He also faces an additional prison sentence of five years for the incest conviction.