Enticing minor turns into assault

MT. PLEASANT — A Mt. Pleasant Police officer suffered injuries during an altercation in the Mt. Pleasant Hy-Vee parking lot Tuesday afternoon.

The officer was injured after approaching a Mt. Pleasant man who was allegedly intending to meet a 15-year-old female for sex, according to court documents.

Following months of investigative work, Mt. Pleasant Police arrested Kevin Shirley, 19, for charges of Drug Distribution Violation to person under 18, a Class B felony, two counts of Enticing a Minor Under 16 — sexual purposes, a Class D felony, and Assault with intent to inflict serious injury, an aggravated misdemeanor.

According to the affidavit submitted with a criminal complain to the court my police chief Lyle Murray, Shirley first began conversations with an undercover officer on a social media application in June 2023.

“During the conversation Shirley learned that the UC was 15 years of age …” Murray wrote.

The affidavit states that Shirley asked the UC, who believed to be a 15-year-old girl, to engage in sexual acts, arranged a location to meet and offered to “ … bring a THC cartridge (marijuana) to give her to help her relax.”

Murray’s affidavit also states that during an interview with Shirley, he admitted to communication with the female, knowing she was 15, and going to meet her for sex acts.

In another criminal complaint filed with Iowa Courts, Murray states, “Upon approach, officers identified themselves and the defendant tried to take off with his vehicle causing one [officer] to be caught between two vehicles and the suspect vehicle ended up striking the car next to them.”

According to Murray, officers eventually stopped Shirley in the parking lot, restrained him, and placed him in handcuffs.

“The defendant admitted he panicked and knew we were cops and was sorry,” Murray wrote in the affidavit.

According to additional criminal complaints filed in connection with these charges, Shirley’s interactions with an undercover police officer posing as a minor is not the only instance of enticing a minor Shirley is charged with.

“In late August 2023 the above-named defendant, age 19, met the victim, age 15, through a mutual friend,” Officer Ron Galusha wrote in an affidavit.

In this instance, Galusha states that Shirley also communicated with the individual through a social media application.

“The defendant and victim first met in person during the Old Threshers Reunion in Mt Pleasant (8/31-9/4),” Galusha states. “The defendant began what he characterized as a ‘Committed’ relationship with the victim, considering them to be boyfriend/girlfriend. The defendant stated they saw each other in person often and engaged in kissing and hand holding type activities.”

According to Galusha’s affidavit, the defendant engaged in other acts which left the victim with a hickey on intimate parts of her person. It further states Shirley further engaged in further specific conversations about sexual acts.

“The defendant stated he knew the age of consent in Iowa was 16 and that the victim was 15, and that the victim believed they would be engaging in sex acts,” Galusha stated.

After placing Shirley under arrest, the court issued a protection order for the victim, set bail as a cash or surety bond of $30,000 and set Shirley’s preliminary hearing for Oct. 27 at 9 a.m.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com