Lang
3/10/23
An Iowa City man has been sentenced to at least a decade in prison after sexually abusing teenage runaways.
Judge Justin Lightfoot handed down the sentence to 27-year-old Nathaniel Whitfield as part of a plea deal earlier this week.
The first victim was a 14-year-old girl who was on the run from shelter placement with another girl. Whitfield reportedly allowed them to stay at his Linn Street apartment on various nights between June and October of 2021. During those times, Whitfield allegedly supplied the girl with marijuana that they smoked together on several occasions. A photo was reportedly located showing Whitfield and the girl kissing, and he later allegedly admitted that they had engaged in a sex act. Whitfield also reportedly admitted that he knew she was on the run and believed her to be around 15 to 16 years old.
The second victim, a 15-year-old girl, told authorities that between June and August of 2021 Whitfield supplied her with marijuana that they smoked together multiple times. She also told police that the two had sex multiple times and were trying to get her pregnant. Whitfield reportedly admitted that he had supplied the marijuana they smoked together, that the two were in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, and that they had engaged in a sex act.
Whitfield pleaded guilty to three counts of 3rd Degree Sexual Abuse. Drug Distribution and Harboring a Runaway charges were dropped. Lightfoot gave Whitfield three ten-year sentences, although online records do not indicate if they will run concurrently or consecutively. Whitfield is also ordered not to contact the victims until 2028.
If convicted on all the original charges, Whitfield would have faced up to 84 years in prison.
Last year Whitfield faced up to four years in jail for two counts of Harboring a Runaway against the Wishes of a Parent for a separate incident where he allegedly harbored teen runaways. One count was dismissed. On the other, Whitfield was given credit for 30 days of time served and fined $855 by Judge Jason Burns.