U.S. Attorney honors 3 investigators for efforts in sex exploitation, murder cases

U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau honored three area investigators Wednesday with the highest federal service award for going 'above and beyond the call of duty, their kindness, compassion and care for victims of crime.'

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Darrell Simmons, Hiawatha Police Investigator Rod Fiser and Cedar Rapids police Investigator Corey Peiffer each received the 15th Annual Iowa Law Enforcement Victim Service Awards during a news conference Wednesday. Peiffer received the Continuous Service Award for his sexual assault investigation that led to this year's conviction of Lucas Robinson, 24, of Cedar Rapids, an Internet predator, and Simmons and Fiser received the Single Act Award for their work on 17-month-old Kamryn Schlitter murder investigation in 2010.

Techau said Peiffer, a Cedar Rapids officer for more than 16 years, was nominated by Cedar Rapids Police officer Cristy Hamblin because the investigation of Robinson started out as a sexual assault of a 16-year-old, but he dug deeper to discover 20 other victims, between ages 10 and 17, that he sexually exploited. Robinson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 42 years in prison.

Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said the citizens of Cedar Rapids and all Robinson's victims owe Peiffer appreciation for his 'dogged pursuit' of justice.

Peiffer said this was one of the most 'difficult but rewarding' cases he's worked. He couldn't have done it without another department investigator, Joe Schmitz, who works in the Internet Crimes Against Children unit. The case started with what he thought was one sexual assault and led to 20 other girls who had been pursued in chat rooms and other Internet sites, by phone and through texts.

Robinson coerced the victims into sending him sexually explicit photos of themselves and if they refused to send additional photos, he threatened to distribute the photos to websites, their parents and friends, according court documents. There were four victims from the Cedar Rapids area and the rest were from Alaska, Missouri, Minnesota, South Dakota, Kentucky, New Jersey and North Carolina.

First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks and Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sandenboth, who nominated Simmons and Fiser both said the investigators gained the trust of Kamryn's family throughout the 15-month investigation and through two lengthy trials that resulted in the conviction of Zyriah Schlitter, Kamryn's father, and his ex-girlfriend Amy Parmer. Each were sentenced to 50 years in prison for child endangerment resulting in death and involuntary manslaughter.

Maybanks, who prosecuted both defendants, said there was nothing these two wouldn't do to help. There was evidence that came to light which they followed up and helped strenghten the case.

'They also built up a trust with the family and with the witnesses,' Maybanks said. 'When I saw each of them embrace Kamryn's family members after the verdicts - both had tears in their eyes. It just showed me how much emotion and dedication they had, and how they personally cared for Kamryn.'

Denise Reynolds, Kamryn's relative, said if it hadn't been for Fiser's and Simmons' invesigation, Kamryn's abuse may have never come to light.

'It's nice to have something positive, like this recognition for them, come out of something negative.' Reynolds said. 'They have been part of (our lives) and even joined us for celebrations (after the verdicts).'