From the KCRG-TV9 Newsroom:
The priest charged with sexually abusing four altar boys in the 1980’s in Dubuque is also accused of abusing at least one other child in Florida. The attorney for that Florida victim says there are multiple other victims, as well. Leo Riley appeared in court Thursday in Florida on five counts of sexual abuse. He’s accused of assaulting the boys while he was an associate pastor at Resurrection Parish in Dubuque from 1984 to 1986. He’s in jail right now on a $100,000 bond and awaiting extradition back to Iowa. Court documents filed in 2020 indicate another man claims Riley abused him as a boy at a Catholic school in Florida in the early 2000s. He says a music teacher first abused him as a kindergartner. He reported the abuse to Riley, but says that’s when the priest began sexually abusing him, as well. Riley is expected to be extradited to Dubuque to face the Iowa charges.
We now know when a Cedar Rapids man charged in a cold case murder will find out the judge’s verdict in the case. Curtis Padgett is charged with first-degree murder in the 2007 death of Dennis First. He opted for a bench trial, which means a judge who heard the case will hand down the verdict. A court filing shows the judge will read the verdict at 11 a.m. next Friday. If he’s guilty of first degree murder, Padgett will face an automatic life sentence.
A Cedar Rapids woman has entered an Alford Plea to second degree theft charges. Nicole Blevins is accused of taking more than $10,000 dollars from Madison Elementary School. This occurred from January of 2022 to April of last year. She was treasurer of the school’s P-A. An Alford Plea means she doesn’t admit guilt, but admits there is enough evidence to convict. Her sentencing is set for June 6.
The National Weather Service says the radio transmitter that serves Linn and parts of Johnson County is now back up and running. This means weather radios in Linn and Johnson counties should be able to receive weather information during this weekend’s severe weather threat. The Weather Service says the radio transmitter went down two weeks ago after heavy rains got into cabling and the antenna itself.
