Licensing not required for Four Oaks youth counselors, staffers testify at exploitation trial

Supervisors and other staff members of Four Oaks testified Tuesday youth counselors don't have to be licensed or certified to provide counseling to clients on certain life or behavior issues.

The main question in the sexual exploitation trial of Amanda Jones, 23, a former youth counselor at Four Oaks on trial in Linn County Associate District Court, is whether Jones was a counselor or therapist as defined under Iowa law.

Jones is accused of kissing a 16-year-old male June 3, 2009 who lived in one of the residential programs for behavioral issues. The teen testified Monday that he initiated the kiss but Jones met with him afterward and also sent him several e-mails attempting to pursue a romantic relationship.

The jury received the case at the end of the day and will continue deliberations 9 a.m. Wednesday. The prosecution rested Tuesday morning and the defense rested without putting on any witnesses.

Under Iowa law, any person licensed or registered with the state is a counselor under Iowa law. The state is attempting to prove Jones was in a position of authority when she kissed the teen.

Karla Graves, program coordinator, testified Jones as a full-time youth counselor worked with the 16-year-old and other residents on goals for their individualized treatment plans. This could include conflict resolution, how to better interact with others, problem solving and learning how to help others.

Graves said the youth counselors receive training how to deal with the youths and they talk about setting boundaries and how to maintain a professional relationship.

“We talk about establishing authority roles, not being friends with the kids,” she said. “We talk about when working with teen boys they may develop crushes and tell you you're pretty and we help them deal with those situations.”

Danielle Gladan, a youth counselor at Four Oaks, testified she saw Jones go downstairs with the 16-year-old on June 3, 2009. The downstairs area of the house or cottage is a living room, laundry and office areas. They stayed about 45 minutes and she thought they were the only ones downstairs at the time.

She never talked to either afterward but did check for documentation of a one on one session that night and couldn't find one.

Mark Brown, Jones attorney, asked her if it violated policy to have a session like that downstairs in the evening.

Gladan said not to her knowledge.

The witness Brown was going to put on the stand wasn't allowed to testify by Associate District Judge Casey Jones.

Brown did make an offer of proof, outside the presence of the jury which can be used in the event of an appeal, of a computer forensic investigator.

Robert Hartkemeyer, owner of Forensic Data Recovery Lab in Cedar Rapids, would have testified that it's possible to alter an e-mail after its received by forwarding it because the content can be modified at that point.

Hartkemeyer said the hard drive of a computer can also be examined to determine where it originated.

Brown said the purpose for this testimony would address the issue that the e-mails Jones allegedly sent to the 16-year-old haven't been authenticated or forensically analyzed.

Brown said he didn't receive the e-mails from the state until about six months after Jones had been charged. The state received the e-mails from the 16-year-old's mother.

Judge Jones said he wouldn't allow the testimony because Hartkemeyer  didn't actually conduct the analysis on the e-mails.