Cedar Rapids woman found guilty of sexually abusing young boy

CEDAR RAPIDS - A 22-year-old Cedar Rapids woman was convicted by a Linn County jury this week of sexually abusing a 4-year-old Marion boy in 2009.

A jury found Julie Hutson, who was 15 at the time of the two incidents, guilty of second-degree sexual abuse and incest Wednesday after a three-day trial. The jury deliberated for more than two hours before reaching a verdict.

The victim, now 10, testified that Hutson sexually abused him twice. Hutson lived with the boy's family in Marion at the time.

Assistant Linn County Attorney Jordan Schier said Hutson faces up to 30 years in prison, but because she was a juvenile offender, she could receive a deferred sentence or probation.

Schier said the victim didn't tell anyone of the abuse until Hutson moved out in 2014.

'I think he felt safe when she no longer was living there,” Schier said.

Schier said the case was unusual because women rarely are charged with sexual abuse of children. In addition, the case featured physical evidence in the form of 'compelling” text messages that incriminated Hutson, he said.

The witness who received the texts testified during the trial, as did a Marion police investigator who examined the cellphone.

The defense argued the texts didn't incriminate Hutson and were not about alleged abuse.

The case took time getting to court because the investigation started in late 2014 and Hutson wasn't charged until 2015, Schier said. Hutson's lawyer also asked the court to send Hutson for a competency evaluation, which delayed proceedings for about two months.