Sioux Center, Iowa — A Worthington man has been arrested on serious felony sex abuse charges by the Sioux Center Police.
Officers have charged 19-year-old Hamilton Gabriel Marroquin of Worthington with sexual abuse. According to court documents, the victim in the case is 13 years old. He was arrested on Sunday.
In his statement, the officer says that during a traffic stop for driving on the wrong side of the highway, he encountered a driver and a passenger who were telling him different stories. He says it turned out that the 13-year-old passenger had allegedly been a victim of sexual abuse by Marroquin and they had just been to Walmart to purchase emergency contraception after the victim demanded that he buy it.
Marroquin was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, a class B felony; one count of lascivious acts with a child, a class C felony; and one count of grooming, a class D felony. If convicted, he could face up to 25 years in prison on each class B charge, plus ten years on the class C charge, and five years on the class D charge.
He faces a preliminary hearing on February 3rd.
At last report, Marroquin remained in the Sioux County Jail in Orange City in lieu of a $25,000 cash or surety bond.
KIWA Staff Photo
