Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 709.16 (2026)

Sexual misconduct with offenders and juveniles

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. Any peace officer, or an officer, employee, contractor, vendor, volunteer, or agent of the department of corrections, or an officer, employee, or agent of a judicial district department of correctional services, who engages in a sex act with an individual committed to the custody of the department of corrections or a judicial district department of correctional services commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

2. a. Any peace officer, or an officer, employee, contractor, vendor, volunteer, or agent of a juvenile placement facility who engages in a sex act with a juvenile placed at such facility commits an aggravated misdemeanor.

b. For purposes of this subsection, a “juvenile placement facility” means any of the following:

(1) A child foster care facility under chapter 237.

(2) Institutions controlled by the department of health and human services listed in section 218.1.

(3) Juvenile detention and juvenile shelter care homes approved under section 232.142.

(4) Psychiatric medical institutions for children licensed under chapter 135H.

(5) Facilities for the treatment of persons with a substance use disorder as defined in section 125.2.

3. Any peace officer, or an officer, employee, contractor, vendor, volunteer, or agent of a county who engages in a sex act with a prisoner incarcerated in a county jail commits an aggravated misdemeanor. 91 Acts, ch 219, §21; 98 Acts, ch 1094, §1; 2013 Acts, ch 30, §204; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §185; 2015 Acts, ch 46, §1; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §1302; 2025 Acts, ch 135, §36 Referred to in §622.31B, 692A.101, 692A.102, 709.19, 802.2B Subsection 2, paragraph b, subparagraph (1) amended\n\n 709.17 Polygraph examinations of victims or witnesses — limitations. Repealed by 98 Acts, ch 1090, §80, 84. See §915.44. \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 2002–2025 · leading case: Crawford v. Cuomo, 796 F.3d 252 (2d Cir. 2015).
Crawford v. Cuomo, 796 F.3d 252 (2d Cir. 2015). “§ 707-732(e); Idaho Code § 18-6110 ; Iowa Code § 709.16 ; La. Stat. Ann. § 14:134.”
State v. Bolsinger, 709 N.W.2d 560 (Iowa 2006). · cites it 2× “15(2), and sexual misconduct with juvenile offenders under Iowa Code section 709.16(2). Bolsinger *562 was sentenced to a combination of concurrent and consecutive sentences totaling a term not exceeding thirty-seven years.”
Pamela Riley v. Barbara Olk-Long Jean Sebek, 282 F.3d 592 (8th Cir. 2002). “Link was charged and later pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with an inmate under Iowa Code § 709.16 (1). Prior to the sexual encounter between Link and Riley, several other inmates had complained of being the target of Link’s sexual advances.”
State v. Bolsinger, 738 N.W.2d 643 (Iowa Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 2× “15(2) (2001) and three counts of sexual misconduct with a juvenile in violation of section 709.16(2). Bolsinger asserts the district court erred in restructuring his sentence for the purpose of elongating his term of incarceration.”
David Walton v. Ashley Nehls, 135 F.4th 1070 (7th Cir. 2025). “§ 18-6110 Iowa Iowa Code Ann. § 709.16 Louisiana La. Stat.”
State of Iowa v. Shawn William Durrell (Iowa Ct. App. 2022). · cites it 4× “, in violation of Iowa Code section 709.16(1) (2019), an aggravated misdemeanor.”
Shawn William Durrell v. State of Iowa (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). · cites it 2× “, in violation of Iowa Code section 709.16(1) (2019), an aggravated misdemeanor.”
State Of Iowa, Vs. John Michael Bolsinger (Iowa 2006). · cites it 2× “15(2), and three counts of sexual misconduct with juvenile offenders under section 709.16(2). DECISION OF COURT OF APPEALS VACATED; JUDGMENT OF DISTRICT COURT AFFIRMED IN PART AND REVERSED IN PART; CASE REMANDED.”
State of Iowa v. Mario Goodson (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). “§ 709.16(3) (prohibiting sex acts between any peace officer or county representative and “a prisoner incarcerated in a county jail”).”
David Walton v. Ashley Nehls (7th Cir. 2025). “§ 18-6110 Iowa Iowa Code Ann. § 709.16 Louisiana La. Stat.”
David Walton v. Ashley Nehls (7th Cir. 2025). “§ 18-6110 Iowa Iowa Code Ann. § 709.16 Louisiana La. Stat.”
Pamela Riley v. Barbara Olk-Long (8th Cir. 2002). “Link was charged and later pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with an inmate under Iowa Code § 709.16 (1). Prior to the sexual encounter between Link and Riley, several other inmates had complained of being the target of Link's sexual advances.”
— Iowa Code § 709.16(1) — 2 cases
State of Iowa v. Shawn William Durrell (Iowa Ct. App. 2022). “, in violation of Iowa Code section 709.16(1) (2019), an aggravated misdemeanor.”
Shawn William Durrell v. State of Iowa (Iowa Ct. App. 2024). “, in violation of Iowa Code section 709.16(1) (2019), an aggravated misdemeanor.”
— Iowa Code § 709.16(2) — 4 cases
State v. Bolsinger, 709 N.W.2d 560 (Iowa 2006). “15(2), and sexual misconduct with juvenile offenders under Iowa Code section 709.16(2). Bolsinger *562 was sentenced to a combination of concurrent and consecutive sentences totaling a term not exceeding thirty-seven years.”
State v. Bolsinger, 738 N.W.2d 643 (Iowa Ct. App. 2007). “15(2) (2001) and three counts of sexual misconduct with a juvenile in violation of section 709.16(2). Bolsinger asserts the district court erred in restructuring his sentence for the purpose of elongating his term of incarceration.”
State of Iowa v. Shawn William Durrell (Iowa Ct. App. 2022). “, in violation of Iowa Code section 709.16(1) (2019), an aggravated misdemeanor.”
State Of Iowa, Vs. John Michael Bolsinger (Iowa 2006). “15(2), and three counts of sexual misconduct with juvenile offenders under section 709.16(2). DECISION OF COURT OF APPEALS VACATED; JUDGMENT OF DISTRICT COURT AFFIRMED IN PART AND REVERSED IN PART; CASE REMANDED.”
— Iowa Code § 709.16(3) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Mario Goodson (Iowa Ct. App. 2020). “§ 709.16(3) (prohibiting sex acts between any peace officer or county representative and “a prisoner incarcerated in a county jail”).”
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