OTTUMWA —
A man will spend up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to forcing a younger family member to participate in sex acts.
Seth Adam Babcock, 23 of Ottumwa, received the sentence in District Court Monday. The sentence was made public Tuesday.
Babcock was arrested in January on two counts of sex abuse in the third degree (Class “C” felonies), two counts of incest (Class “D” felonies) and one count of dissemination and exhibition of obscenity to minors (a serious misdemeanor).
Officials at an area school district had contacted Iowa Department of Human Services because they suspected that a young person had suffered abuse. School personnel are considered “mandatory reporters” in cases where a child may have been harmed.
DHS then contacted the Ottumwa Police Department. According to Ottumwa Police Lt. Tom McAndrew, the department began its investigation in September 2011.
Police and DHS interviewed the minor, as did the Iowa Child Protection Center. The victim said Babcock showed them a pornographic movie and told investigators Babcock said he wanted to do what they were watching on the screen. The minor said Babcock forced them to engage in sex acts.
Investigators executed a search warrant at Babcock’s home and found condoms, several pornographic DVDs and bed sheets that, according to inventory papers from the search warrant, officers felt could be tested for DNA.
Tuesday’s sentence, plus fines and other costs, was based on one count of third-degree sexual abuse (Class “C” felony). The other four counts were dismissed. He will receive credit for time served. In addition, a “no-contact order” will remain in effect until August 2017.
The judge added one more stipulation: The defendant was sentenced for life to a “special sentence of supervision as if on parole.”
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Seth Babcock submitted
August 8, 2012
Sex abuse nets man 10-year sentence
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