Multiple arrests made after assault

On the night of March 23, officers from the Fairfield Police Department responded to the Jefferson County hospital to take a report of an individual who had suffered a violent assault.

According to a news release from Jefferson County Attorney Chauncey Moulding, the reporting party suffered bruising to his face, chest, arms and back, had shoe prints on his back, as well as what appeared to be injuries consistent with being shot by an airsoft gun multiple times at close range.

It was reported that numerous individuals had assaulted the victim after luring him to a residence under false pretenses. Victim also reported several items were stolen from him during the assault, including his wallet and phone.

Officers investigated the incident, and acquired cellphone videos which appeared to document the incident. The videos show numerous individuals, some juveniles, repeatedly assaulting the victim in a residence, the release said.

Officers determined probable cause to charge Steven James Lemke of Fairfield, Heaven Leigh Charbonneau of Ottumwa and Hannah Nicole Moffatt of Fairfield each with one count of willful injury resulting in bodily injury (a Class D felony) and one count of conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony (a Class D felony).

Brayton Wayne Warren of Fairfield was charged with one count of robbery in the second degree (a Class C felony), one count of willful injury resulting in bodily injury (a Class D felony) and one count of conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony (a Class D felony). Warren was already on probation for eluding officers and drug charges.

There were also juvenile individuals allegedly involved in this incident, but due to their status as juveniles, law enforcement officials will not release their information related to this incident.

There may be additional defendants relating to this incident who have yet to be arrested, Moulding said.

“This assault was vicious and brutal, but thanks to the defendant’s video documentation of the assault and the thorough police investigation, charges were able to be filed very rapidly on this case,” Moulding said. “Although most of the individuals criminally charged in this case are young, that does not diminish the severity of the assault they committed or the gravity of the offenses they committed.”

Comments: james.jennings@southeastiowaunion.com