Man found guilty in sexual abuse case

A judge found a Williamsburg man guilty on Wednesday of sexually abusing a former University of Iowa student almost two years ago.

Johnson County District Court Judge Ian Thornhill found Jonathan R. Schiefer, 34, guilty of breaking into a woman's apartment in the 400 block of North Dubuque Street on April 6, 2008, and sexually abusing her in her bed.

DNA evidence was presented during the four-day trial last week, and the victim testified.

The woman and her roommates moved out of their home after the incident, Thornhill said in court. He noted Schiefer had been arrested for trespassing on July 19, 2008, after police saw him peeping into the apartment window.

Two other late-night sexual assaults were reported in Iowa City the same weekend in April - on South Lucas Street and South Van Buren Street. Schiefer was not connected to those assaults.

The judge said Schiefer admitted during testimony to having smoked marijuana, to having drunk around a dozen beers and to being on medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder the night of April 6. Thornhill said there was not enough evidence, however, to prove Schiefer's judgment was impaired the night of the assault.

Thornhill said Schiefer was able to sneak in the apartment window and, and according to the victim's testimony, had an “evil look” on his face before he sexually assaulted her and fled the apartment.

Schiefer was convicted of third-degree sexual abuse and first-degree burglary. Sentencing will be set at a later date.