East Iowa man accused of sexual exploitation, abuse

WEST UNION - A 75-year-old Oran man faces a number of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse charges involving boys under the age of 12.

On Tuesday, Fayette County authorities spent five hours executing a search warrant at the home of Benton Stong, 5051 Main St. They seized computers, video equipment, photographs, videos and software that led to the charges filed against Stong.

Sheriff Marty Fisher said Stong faces three counts of second-degree sexual abuse, a Class B felony that carries up to 25 years in prison. He also faces four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class C felony that carries a prison term of up to 10 years.

Fisher said investigators have identified four minor victims so far, and it's possible more could be discovered later. He said the case began only last weekend with a tip from a member of the public.

During an initial court appearance Wednesday, Stong said little to Magistrate John Sullivan, who set bond at $50,000 cash on all the charges and ordered Stong to have no contact with any of the alleged victims. A preliminary hearing was set for July 20, but such hearings are commonly canceled once the county attorney files what's known as trial information.

People living in Oran confirmed that Stong was, at one time, manager of a local dairy and creamery. More recently, he worked on computers out of his home.

“I had a couple of dealings with him,” next-door neighbor Ben Bradley said. “He fixed our computer once. But other than that, he was a nice guy and we never saw him much.”

Bradley and his wife, Jennifer, have two younger children, so they said the allegations are particularly disturbing.

Fisher said the Iowa Department of Human Services is contacting and working with all the identified victims and their families. He said he wouldn't be surprised to have more victims turn up.

“It's very disturbing to have anything like this in any community,” he said. “We just hope if there are other victims out there that they would come forward and we'd get them some help.”

A search of Stong's criminal history shows a conviction for lascivious acts with a child in 1961, for which he was sentenced to three years in prison, and a conviction for third-degree sexual abuse in Bremer County in 1986.

Fisher said Stong was not listed on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry. Registration is required only for people who completed or discharged their sentences after July 1, 1995.