Iowa City Police: Subject of no contact order tried to “socialize” with protected parties before realizing who they were

Lang
4/8/23

Iowa City Police say the subject of a no contact order tried to, in his words, “socialize” with the protected parties before finding out who they were.

According to arrest records, 34-year-old Sean Sires of South Johnson Street approached two women near the corner of Gilbert Street and Iowa Avenue just after 1:45 Saturday morning. Unbeknownst to Sires, the women were two of three women he was accused of assaulting in February. Sires reportedly ran away from the women when they told him who they were.

The women then contacted police, saying they were concerned about Sires’ behavior of approaching random women downtown. He was found by police a short time later, and allegedly admitted to speaking with the women. Police say he was also intoxicated.

Sires reportedly claimed he didn’t know who the women were when he approached them, and told police he sometimes goes downtown to “socialize” because he believes he was “being weird”. Police say he continued to state concerns that his behavior could be construed as “weird”.

Sires now faces a no contact order violation and a Public Intoxication charge.

Police say Sires had previously gotten into an argument with the women at around 1:45am on February 3rd near the intersection of Linn and College Streets. At one point, he allegedly began punching them, causing injuries. He was charged with Assault Causing Bodily Injury and Public Intoxication. If convicted on those charges, he could be sentenced to over three years in jail. Arraignment in that case is set for Monday.