Orange City, Iowa — A Sioux Center man was sentenced to prison Monday on a domestic abuse charge.
Sioux County Attorney Thomas Kunstle says the charges against 22-year old Peter Baccam stem from an October incident in which he reportedly assaulted his children’s mother, who was 27 weeks pregnant at the time. Kunstle says the victim sought medical treatment at the Sioux Center Hospital out of concern for her unborn child. The hospital reportedly documented the victim’s suspected broken ribs and concussion, and reported the matter to Sioux Center Police, who conducted an investigation into the incident.
Kunstle says Baccam pled not guilty, and the case went to trial. On January 11th of this year, a Sioux County jury found Baccam guilty of Domestic Abuse Assault Causing Bodily Injury. According to Kunstle, Baccam has two convictions after assaulting the same victim, who was again 5 months pregnant during one of the prior assaults.
The State recommended the maximum sentence for Baccam, and the Court agreed, ordering Baccam to turn himself in to authorities on March 13th to serve a 2-year indeterminate prison sentence. In addition, the Court ordered Baccam to complete the Iowa Domestic Abuse Program, and extended the no-contact order that was already in place with the victim.
