The Jefferson County Attorney’s Office announced that Randall Paul Dodds, age 33, of Ottumwa, has been sentenced to a total of ten years in prison following convictions for grooming a minor and enticing a minor for sexual purposes.
Sentencing Details
On January 9th, the court imposed five years of incarceration on each count, to be served consecutively, for a total sentence of ten years. The charges included grooming a minor (Class D Felony) in violation of Iowa Code section 709.8A(2) and enticing a minor under age 16 for sexual purposes (Class D Felony) in violation of Iowa Code section 710.10(2).
Upon release, Dodds will be required to register as a sex offender for life. For the grooming charge, he will also be subject to a special sentence of parole for a period of ten years following the discharge of his original sentence.
Investigation Background
The case arose from an investigation in which an officer of the Fairfield Police Department, acting in an undercover capacity as a 13-year-old female, was contacted by Dodds. Following this initial contact, Dodds proceeded to send obscene imagery to who he believed to be a 13-year-old, followed by instructions on how she should masturbate. During this conversation, Dodds further discussed his intention to take the virginity of the minor.
Proactive Law Enforcement Efforts
This case highlights the active and ongoing efforts by law enforcement to patrol online spaces where adults may attempt to exploit or meet children for sexual purposes. It is the result of ongoing, proactive investigations on social media platforms, messaging apps, gaming environments, and other digital spaces commonly used by minors.
The Jefferson County Attorney’s Office emphasized that this type of proactive investigation is intended to avoid waiting for harm to occur, but instead to remove those seeking to harm children from society, hopefully before they get the chance to act. The office stressed that it should be well known that police are actively monitoring online activity, engaging in undercover operations, and using digital forensic tools to identify and stop individuals who seek to exploit children. Any adult who believes they can use the internet to target a child anonymously is mistaken.
Statement from the County Attorney’s Office
In a statement, the office noted that this sentence reflects the seriousness of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children.
“This office is committed to protecting children and holding offenders accountable for efforts to harm children, in both online and offline spaces.”
Online Safety Guidance for Parents
Parents and guardians are encouraged to talk with children about online safety, including:
- Not sharing personal information online
- Reporting inappropriate messages or requests
- Understanding that not everyone online is who they claim to be
Community members who suspect online exploitation of a child are urged to report it to local law enforcement or through appropriate reporting channels.
