News : Benton County Attorney Press Release Concerning Fowler Sentencing

The Benton County Attorney’s Office announces the following:

On September 26, 2019, Lyle Arthur Fowler, II, age 44 of Vinton, Iowa appeared for joint Sentencing on two different Benton County District Court cases, SRCR013785 and FECR013889.

In case SRCR013785 Fowler appeared in Court for Sentencing having previously pleading guilty to two charges of Telephone Dissemination of Obscene Materials to a Minor, both aggravated misdemeanors. Fowler had been charged with these offenses on October 17, 2018. With respect to these two charges, Fowler had texted sexually suggestive messages and pictures of his genitals using his telephone to two minor females, age 16 and 17, respectively. Fowler admitted that he knew the two females were under the age of eighteen. Under Iowa law, an aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by an indeterminate prison term of two years and a maximum fine of $6,250.00. The Court, the Honorable Judge Fae Hoover presiding, granted Fowler a Deferred Judgment, placed him on unsupervised probation, and ordered him to complete sex offender treatment while in prison. Telephone Dissemination of Obscene Materials to a Minor is a sex offense under Iowa Law and will require Fowler to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years.

In case FECR013889, Lyle Arthur Fowler, II was sentenced on charges of Assault on Persons Engaged in Certain Occupations (committed against two Vinton Police officers while Fowler was armed with a Dangerous Weapon), a Class D Felony, and Interference With Official Acts, a Class D Felony. Class D Felonies under Iowa law have a maximum penalty of a five year indeterminate prison term and a maximum fine of up to $7,500.00. At sentencing, Judge Fae Hoover ordered the Defendant to serve two five year prison sentences consecutively for a total of 10 years in prison. The Defendant was further ordered to pay costs and victim restitution, but his fines were suspended.

In FECR013889 the Defendant Lyle Arthur Fowler, II committed the aforementioned offenses by using a handgun and assault rifle against Vinton Police Officers who were at his residence to check on the Defendant’s welfare. This incident is described in detail in the attached Official Report of the Benton County Attorney dated September 20, 2018. (PLEASE NOTE: The attachment incorrectly names the Defendant; the Defendant’s legal name is Lyle Arthur Fowler, II).

The State would like to thank the Vinton Police Department, the Benton County Sheriff’s Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Iowa State Patrol for their assistance in the investigation of these two cases.

For comment please feel free to contact Benton County Attorney David C. Thompson at (319) 472-2436.

SRCR013785 STATE OF IOWA VS FOWLER, LYLE ARTHUR

Regarding the Investigation into the use of deadly force 

FECR013889 STATE OF IOWA VS FOWLER II, LYLE ARTHUR