Government : Garrett Wayne Spence of Vinton Charged with Sexual Abuse

It started with a call from Brandon on Tuesday morning at about 12:30 a.m. from Garrett Wayne Spence, 32. Spence had called to report that he was in a wooded area east of Brandon where he had gone to fish, but had gotten lost when it got dark outside. He told police that his phone battery was low, but that he had started a fire.

The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department responded to the Koutney Pond in the Hoffman Woods area along I-380. Using a drone with an infrared camera to locate Spence the deputies hiked toward Spence locating him also with the help of their K9 named Koda.

The deputies discovered that Spence had an active warrant out of Linn County and was taken into custody and transferred to the Linn County Sheriff's Office.

Spence of Vinton has been arrested and charged with 2nd Degree Sexual Abuse and is being held in the Linn County jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond.

A 5-year-old girl had told a school counselor and principal in May of the abuse. The abuse had taken place in Marion.

He is currently awaiting trial, having been charged according to Iowa Code 709.3(1)(C)

709.3 Sexual abuse in the second degree.

1. A person commits sexual abuse in the second degree when the person commits sexual abuse under any of the following circumstances:

a. During the commission of sexual abuse the person displays in a threatening manner a dangerous weapon, or uses or threatens to use force creating a substantial risk of death or serious injury to any person.

b. The other person is under the age of twelve.

c. The person is aided or abetted by one or more persons and the sex act is committed by force or against the will of the other person against whom the sex act is committed.

2. Sexual abuse in the second degree is a class "B" felony.

On May 22 a warrant was issued for Spence's arrest, and he was arrested on May 28. He appeared in court on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 where a no contact order was filed on behalf of the child.