Police: Domestic violence victim got 170 calls from jail

IOWA CITY - An Iowa City man jailed on a domestic assault charge is accused of calling the victim - who is protected by a no-contact order - 170 times in 12 days.

Robert R. Burhans, 51, of Iowa City, faces 12 counts of violating a protective order and 12 counts of third-degree harassment, according to Iowa City police criminal complaints.

According to the complaints, Burhans was arrested Jan. 27 on a domestic assault charge, and a no-contact order was issued. Over the course of a dozen days, Burhans allegedly called the protected party 170 times, connecting the call on 137 occasions. Police said Burhans used his inmate personal identification number to make the calls.

Police said in one call, Burhans asked the victim to tell the court 'he's a nice guy with anger problems.”

Burhans knew he was breaking the law, police said.

'I'm not really supposed to be calling you,” he said, according to the complaints. 'I can get in trouble for this.”

Police said the protected party knew it was Burhans calling and ignored the calls, which apparently angered him.

'Why you been ignoring my calls,” he asked during one call, police said.

Burhans also left the woman messages asking why she wasn't staying at his apartment and demanding to know where she had moved.

Police said the woman answered on at least one occasion and begged Burhans to stop calling her. Burhans threatened to have her arrested for the theft of his PlayStation gaming system.

'As soon as I get out of jail, I'm coming at you,” he allegedly told her. 'And the police will be coming at you.”

Burhans also urged the woman to go to the public defender's office and say she was lying about the initial abuse.

One of the calls was received Wednesday in the presence of an Iowa City police officer. Despite the officer warning Burhans to stop, he called the victim 11 more times, according to the criminal complaints.

Scott Stevens, the police department's domestic violence investigator, said after the victim filed a complaint, he was able to work with Johnson County Jail officials to listen to Burhans' calls.

'This is a great example of holding offenders accountable for their criminal behavior and keeping the victims safe,” he said.