Iowa Code » Chapter 709 — SEXUAL ABUSE
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 709.12 (2026)

Indecent contact with a child

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. A person eighteen years of age or older is upon conviction guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor if the person commits any of the following acts with a child, not the person’s spouse, with or without the child’s consent, for the purpose of arousing or satisfying the sexual desires of either of them: a. Fondle or touch the inner thigh, groin, buttock, anus, or breast of the child. b. Touch the clothing covering the immediate area of the inner thigh, groin, buttock, anus, or breast of the child. c. Solicit or permit a child to fondle or touch the inner thigh, groin, buttock, anus, or breast of the person. d. Solicit a child to engage in any act prohibited under section 709.8, subsection 1, paragraph “a”, “b”, or “e”. 2. The provisions of this section shall also apply to a person sixteen or seventeen years of age who commits any of the enumerated acts with a child who is at least five years the person’s junior, in which case the juvenile court shall have jurisdiction under chapter 232. [81 Acts, ch 204, §7] 85 Acts, ch 181, §2; 88 Acts, ch 1252, §4; 2013 Acts, ch 30, §203 Referred to in §622.31B, 692A.102, 709.19, 802.2B, 903B.10\n\nTue Dec 09 21:56:35 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 709 (44, 1) 7 SEXUAL ABUSE, §709.15

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 82 cases (18 in the last 5 years), 1985–2026 · leading case: State of Iowa v. Aquiles Gonzalez Alvarado, 875 N.W.2d 713 (Iowa 2016).
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State of Iowa v. Aquiles Gonzalez Alvarado, 875 N.W.2d 713 (Iowa 2016). · cites it 27× “See Iowa Code § 709.12 (2) (providing a person commits indecent contact with a child by “[t]ou.”
State v. Mateer, 383 N.W.2d 533 (Iowa 1986). · cites it 10× “See Iowa Code §§ 709.12 , 903.1(1) (1983). Defendant contends that the sentencing court improperly based its sentence on two matters which should not have been considered: (1) an unproven charge on an unrelated incident; and (2) the court’s belief that a higher crime than…”
In Re Det. of Williams, 628 N.W.2d 447 (Iowa 2001). · cites it 4× “204, § 7 (codified at Iowa Code § 709.12 (1) (1983)). Again, in 1984, Williams pled guilty and served time for two more charges of indecent contact and lascivious acts.”
State v. Myers, 382 N.W.2d 91 (Iowa 1986). · cites it 4× “See Iowa Code § 709.12 (2) (1983). He contends that the trial court erred in two respects: (1) in overruling his objections to the admission of expert testimony that children almost never lie about sexual abuse; and (2) in failing to grant a mistrial after a police officer made…”
State v. Pearson, 514 N.W.2d 452 (Iowa 1994). · cites it 6× “Our legislature had also demonstrated its awareness of this issue by specifically referring to the touching of clothing in the crime *460 of indecent contact with a child, section 709.12. The majority's reliance on the South Dakota case of State v.”
State v. Shearon, 660 N.W.2d 52 (Iowa 2003). · cites it 6× “7; Iowa Code § 709.12 . Because elements two through four of each crime are identical, our analysis focuses on the first element of each crime.”
State v. Castaneda, 621 N.W.2d 435 (Iowa 2001). · cites it 4× “3(2) (1995), a class B felony, and one count of indecent contact with a child, see Iowa Code § 709.12 , an aggravated misdemeanor.”
State v. Hildebrant, 405 N.W.2d 839 (Iowa 1987). · cites it 6× “…section 709.12(1), including the requirement that the prohibited acts be "with a child, not the person’s spouse.” See Iowa Code § 709.12 (1) (1983).”
State v. Mitchell, 633 N.W.2d 295 (Iowa 2001). · cites it 4× “[2] In a second jury trial, Mitchell was also convicted of one count of indecent contact with a child, in violation of Iowa Code section 709.12 (1997), based on the charge involving Karen.”
State v. Elston, 735 N.W.2d 196 (Iowa 2007). · cites it 4× “between her clothed legs. The State’s need to respond to Elston’s assertion of accidental touching substantially increased the probative value of the pornographic photographs.”
State of Iowa v. Bradley Elroy Wickes, 910 N.W.2d 554 (Iowa 2018). “§ 709.12 (indecent contact with a child is an aggravated misdemeanor); id.”
In Re Det. of Hennings, 744 N.W.2d 333 (Iowa 2008). · cites it 2× “4(2)(5) (1999); three counts of indecent contact with a child, in violation of section 709.12(2); and one count of dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to minors, in violation of section 728.”
Show all 82 citing cases →
— Iowa Code § 709.12(1) — 13 cases
State v. Hildebrant, 405 N.W.2d 839 (Iowa 1987). “…section 709.12(1), including the requirement that the prohibited acts be "with a child, not the person’s spouse.” See Iowa Code § 709.12 (1) (1983).”
State of Iowa v. Aquiles Gonzalez Alvarado, 875 N.W.2d 713 (Iowa 2016). “See Iowa Code § 709.12 (2) (providing a person commits indecent contact with a child by “[t]ou.”
State v. Spencer, 737 N.W.2d 124 (Iowa 2007).
State v. Halterman, 630 N.W.2d 611 (Iowa Ct. App. 2001).
State v. Spilger, 508 N.W.2d 650 (Iowa 1993).
— Iowa Code § 709.12(1)(a) — 4 cases
State of Iowa v. Jeff Allen Devries (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
State of Iowa v. Jeremy Joe Orfield (Iowa Ct. App. 2020).
State of Iowa v. Caleb Jeffrey Fairchild (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
State of Iowa v. Francisco Martinez-Pena (Iowa Ct. App. 2026).
— Iowa Code § 709.12(1)(b) — 7 cases
State of Iowa v. Dajour Lydell Smith, 919 N.W.2d 636 (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
State of Iowa v. Richard Wayne Leedom (Iowa 2020).
State of Iowa v. Richard Wayne Leedom (Iowa Ct. App. 2021).
State of Iowa v. Glenn Allen Igou (Iowa Ct. App. 2021).
State of Iowa v. Benjamin James Work (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
— Iowa Code § 709.12(1)(c) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Tenko Julius Wilde (Iowa Ct. App. 2022).
— Iowa Code § 709.12(2) — 7 cases
State of Iowa v. Aquiles Gonzalez Alvarado, 875 N.W.2d 713 (Iowa 2016). “See Iowa Code § 709.12 (2) (providing a person commits indecent contact with a child by “[t]ou.”
In Re Det. of Hennings, 744 N.W.2d 333 (Iowa 2008). “4(2)(5) (1999); three counts of indecent contact with a child, in violation of section 709.12(2); and one count of dissemination and exhibition of obscene material to minors, in violation of section 728.”
State v. Elston, 735 N.W.2d 196 (Iowa 2007). “between her clothed legs. The State’s need to respond to Elston’s assertion of accidental touching substantially increased the probative value of the pornographic photographs.”
Amended May 3, 2016 State of Iowa v. Aquiles Gonzalez Alvarado (Iowa 2016).
Martin Ray Hiatt v. State of Iowa (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
— Iowa Code § 709.12(4) — 2 cases
State v. Shearon, 660 N.W.2d 52 (Iowa 2003). “7; Iowa Code § 709.12 . Because elements two through four of each crime are identical, our analysis focuses on the first element of each crime.”
United States v. Davis, 583 F. Supp. 2d 1015 (N.D. Iowa 2008).
— Iowa Code § 709.12(b) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Daniel C. Jones (Iowa Ct. App. 2025).
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