Jury selection under way in Linn County sexual exploitation trial

A 17-year-old testified Monday he and a former Four Oaks youth counselor kissed when he was a 16-year-old residential client in June 2009.

The teen said he initiated the kiss with Amanda Jones, 23, on June 3, 2009 while he was talking to her about the prospect of being discharged from the program where he was receiving help for behavioral issues.

Jones is on trial for sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist,  a serious misdemeanor, in Linn County Associate District Court. If convicted she faces up to one year in prison and a $1,875 fine and would be required to listed on the sex offender registry.

The trial will continue 9 a.m. Tuesday and is expected to wrap up at the end of the day.

The teen said Jones, one of the “staff members” would participate in group sessions with he and other clients and conduct one on one sessions.

The 17-year-old said they kissed at Four Oaks and the kiss was romantic but only lasted a few seconds. He then suggested they walk to the back of the room where they kissed about 30 more seconds. He admitted he enjoyed it.

Mark Brown, Jones' attorney, grilled the teen on why the second kiss was never mentioned by him before this testimony today. Brown said in a May 11 deposition, the teen said there was only one kiss – “no more, no less.”

The teen said he just wanted to get this over.

“So, did you lie May 11 or are you lying today? Brown said.

The teen said he was telling the truth Monday.

“I don't care about the testimony,” the teen said. “I was hoping to be done with this. I didn't want to testify.”

Brown asked “Why would you throw it out now if you don't care? Why should they (jurors) believe you?”

The teen said he wasn't asking to be believed. He just wants to get this over.

The teen also testified that Jones came to see him at Prairie High School after the kiss at Four Oaks. He asked her to meet him in the parking lot.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Laurie Craig asked the teen how he got Jones' cell phone number to call her to meet him.

The teen said Jones gave it to him. She wrote it in his “little black book.” In the book, she asked him to stay in touch and told him he was “one of her favorite people.”  She signed it “Love, Amanda.”

Craig also introduced nine e-mails from Jones to the teen after the kiss asking him to call her, telling him she was concerned about him, saying “they are the real deal,” she didn't want to lose him, that “job isn't your fault” and she has no regrets.

Brown objected to the e-mails because he said they didn't surface until months later and were never were sent for a forensic analysis to determine if they were real e-mails from Jones to the teen.

Brown asked the teen what he called Jones at Four Oaks.

The teen said a staff member. He had another counselor or therapist.

Brown in his opening statement said the thrust of the case is if Jones was a counselor or therapist as defined in the law for this criminal charge. Brown said she had an associate's degree from Kirkwood Community College but was only a “youth service worker.”

Craig in her opening said Jones was in a position of authority over the teen and violated his trust by breaking that “professional wall” and kissing him. Craig said any person licensed or registered with the state is a counselor under Iowa law.