New court date set for Washington Mayor

WASHINGTON — Washington Mayor Jaron Rosien’s court case was once again continued after a pretrial conference last week, according to court documents that were made public Tuesday morning.

Rosien is accused of third degree sexual abuse, charged by the state of Iowa over an alleged incident at the bar he owns in January of 2023.

The latest legal records set a new jury trial date of May 21, after a pretrial conference on May 10, “pursuant to agreement of counsel,” in the case.

A continuance in November set the date for Rosien’s latest pretrial conference, but a new court date for the trial itself was not announced until the latest order. The November motion explained the delay, saying parties to the case were “engaged in plea negotiations which require additional information.”

The status of any such plea negotiations was not immediately clear from court documents filed on Tuesday.

Rosien has pleaded not guilty to the accusations. While he has not stepped down as Washington’s mayor in the now nearly yearlong period since charges came to light, he has been on an unpaid leave of absence from the role during that time, leaving Mayor Pro Tem Millie Youngquist at the city’s helm.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com