Cedar Rapids man accused of sexually abusing minors

A Cedar Rapids man is accused of sexually abusing minors and exposing his children to cocaine.

James R. Harless, 29, was arrested Wednesday and faces numerous sexual abuse and child endangerment charges including child endangerment by multiple acts, three counts of second-degree sexual abuse and two counts of child neglect.

According to the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the accusations against Harless go back to 2008 and continue until April of this year. One of his alleged sexual assault victims was 2 to 4 years old at the time of the alleged abuse; two others were under the age of 12, according to police.

Two of the second-degree sexual abuse counts relate to alleged crimes taking place in 2008. According to police, Harless performed 'one or more sex acts” with a minor under the age of 12 between April 1, 2008 and June 30, 2008. He is accused of performing one or more sex acts with another minor under the age of 12 throughout the month July 2008.

More recently, Harless is accused of performing sex acts with a child between the ages of 2 and 4 from July 1, 2012 and April 22, 2014.

Between Nov. 5, 2013 and Jan. 8, 2014, Harless allegedly 'engaged in a course of conduct that included three or more acts of child endangerment involving an infant female” according to police. One or more of those acts resulted in serious injury to the infant or a skeletal injury. Police said during that time, Harless exposed his infant daughter and 4-year-old daughter to cocaine. High levels of cocaine were found in the infant's body, police said.

Harless has a lengthy criminal history in Iowa. Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty in Worth County to third-degree burglary, a Class D felony. He has attempted burglary and third-degree burglary convictions in Linn County from 2004 and 2005, as well.

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