Sex offender to serve up to 10 years

A Creston woman will serve no more than 10 years in prison for three of 17 counts related to the sexual abuse of a minor.

In a sentencing hearing July 11, in Union County District Court, Isabel Pettit, 19, was sentenced on three charges - two counts of sex abuse, third degree - child victim by person four or more years older, first offense, Class C felonies and one count of child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor.

She will serve no more than 10 years in prison on counts one and two, and no more than two years on count three. The sentences were ordered to be ran concurrently, or at the same time as each other.

Pettit received credit of 307 days for time already served in connection with the offenses. Her term of incarceration may be reduced by as much as half of the maximum sentence as a result of statutory good conduct time and other statutory credits, making her eligible for parole before completion of her sentence.

Pettit was arrested by the Creston Police Department Sept. 8 and charged with eight counts of sex abuse third degree - child victim by person four or more years older; three counts of child endangerment and six counts of lascivious conduct with a minor. She pled guilty to the three counts May 9, as part of a plea agreement.

According to Creston Police reports, on multiple occasions, Pettit committed lascivious acts by inappropriately touching various areas of the minor’s body or permitting the minor to touch her and engaged in a sex act with the minor on eight separate occasions. Pettit endangered the child on three occasions by permitting a registered sex offender, Dennis Simmermen, unsupervised access to the child.

Simmerman pled guilty Feb. 28 to one count of child endangerment as a person subject to the sex offender registry and one count of sexual abuse, third degree, as a habitual offender and was sentenced to serve five and 15 years consecutively, respectively.

Included in Pettit’s sentence are fines of $3,595 plus 15% statutory surcharge; $180 in sexual abuse related crimes surcharges and restitution payments for court costs and court-appointed attorney fees and restitution to the victim for an amount yet to be determined as well as responsibility to pay for all counseling required for the victim.

Pettit must complete the Sex Offender Treatment Program. If she fails the program she may be required to serve all of her sentence and may not receive earned-time credit. She will also be required to register as a sex offender and be supervised by the Department of Corrections for the rest of her life.

Because counts one and two qualify as sexually predatory offenses, this conviction will be used to enhance any future convictions for any offenses of the same nature.

A no-contact order was issued ordering Pettit to have no contact, direct or indirect, with the victim for a period of five years.