Elderly Iowa man who says he sexually abused minors for decades sentenced to probation on recent charges

SIDNEY, Iowa (WOWT) - A Fremont County, Iowa, was sentenced in court after being convicted of sexual assault of a child.

Ronald Dean Boyer, 81, of Sidney, was sentenced to probation Monday morning in Fremont County Court on two counts of lascivious acts with a child.

During a separate investigation in December 2023, Fremont County deputies found evidence that Boyer had sexually assaulted a child multiple times between 2020-2023.

When Boyer was interviewed in August 2024, he admitted to acts of sexual abuse, “including offenses against minors dating back to the early 1980s,” a report states.

He was arrested in September 2024 and charged with multiple offenses, including five counts of sexual abuse and five counts of incest. He was held on a $150,000 cash-only bond.

Boyer pleaded guilty to two counts of lascivious acts with a child as part of a plea agreement. He agreed to an “open sentencing,” which, in Iowa, means that the court determines the defendant’s punishment.

An attorney requested two ten-year prison terms to be served consecutively -- the maximum penalty allowed under Iowa law. Boyer was instead sentenced to two ten-year prison terms concurrently, meaning at the same time. He was also ordered to pay fines adding up to $2,740, records show.

Both the sentencing and fines were later suspended, and Boyer was placed on probation for two years. He must stay at a residential treatment center until the Dept. of Corrections finds that he has achieved maximum benefit.

The sentencing also requires him to register as a sex offender, submit to DNA profiling, and complete a treatment program.

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