DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand says the Iowa Board of Parole likely violated state law in making parole decisions, backing up an i9 investigation from last year, but the Iowa Board of Parole is refusing to cooperate. Last year, a former Board of Parole member told TV9 she believed the Board had violated state law by allowing three alternate board members to make decisions. State law requires at least one Board member to be part of panels making parole decisions. The State Auditor’s Office says the Board was aware it had not been meeting Iowa Code, but that it had since made adjustments to fix that. However, the State Auditor says the Board of Parole refused to provide documents or answer more questions regarding the matter. The Board cited a new law last year limiting the powers of the State Auditor. During a news conference Thursday morning, Auditor Sand called it a pro-corruption bill that hurts public accountability of the government.
AMES, Iowa (KCRG) – A 6-year-old girl from Ames that was reported missing in October 2023 was found safe on Peaks Island off the coast of Portland, Maine on Wednesday, police confirmed. Ames police said Avery Doherty’s mother, 41-year-old Esther Bender, of Ames, was arrested by law enforcement in Maine for having violated a court order and unlawfully taking the child out of Iowa. Bender does not have custody of Avery. Avery’s father, Brandon Doherty, told KCCI-TV last month his daughter was last seen when Bender picked her up from school in October. Doherty has lived in Kansas City since he and Bender separated. The couple had been going through a lengthy custody battle, with court documents showing Doherty was petitioning for visitation rights. Additional details in this case have not been released at this time.
ADAIR, Iowa (KCRG) -A western Iowa police chief has been found guilty of unlawfully acquiring and possessing machine guns through false statements to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, or ATF. A jury found Adair Chief of Police Bradley Wendt guilty on 11 of 15 federal charges on Wednesday. They say he exploited his position as the chief of police to acquire 10 machine guns purportedly for his official duties with the police department. However, Wendt then resold several of the guns at a significant profit. Court documents say he also got 13 machine guns for his Denison-based gun store, BW Outfitters, by falsely telling the ATF the guns were being demonstrated for potential purchase by the Adair Police Department. Between July 2018 and August 2022, officials said Wendt sought to buy about 90 machine guns for the police department, which serves a town of less than 800 people. A sentencing hearing will occur at a later date.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Almost four years after the 2020 derecho devastated Cedar Rapids, the city is investing in affordable housing for those most heavily affected. The $15 million program will allow for the creation of 76 single-family houses across the city. Each house’s maximum sale price is capped at $175,000, and up to $35,000 in down payment assistance is available for buyers. Cedar Rapids Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell says the rebirth of the program is part of a long history of resilience and perseverance in the face of tragedy. The buildings are funded by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant. Currently, there’s no official timeline as to when the houses will be built, but contractors hope to break ground as early as this spring. The application, in addition to further qualification criteria, has been posted on the City of Cedar Rapids website.
