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Man given suspended sentence on sex charge

The Hawk Eye - 4/11/2018

April 11--A 23-year-old man who told police he wanted to go back to prison after being arrested on sex abuse charges last December was instead given a suspended sentence this week and ordered into a residential treatment facility for up to a year.

Nathan Goins, 2123 S. Central Ave., Burlington, was charged last December in Des Moines County District Court with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse, a class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison on each charge.

He was charged with having sex with a 15-year-old girl.

At the time of his arrest on the sex charges, Goins told investigators he knew his victim was underage and "just wanted to go back to prison."

Instead of sending him to prison, District Judge John Wright suspended his 10-year prison sentence, placed him on probation for five years and ordered him into the residential treatment center in Burlington for up to one year.

In addition, Goins must successfully complete "all requirements of the sex offender program" before being released from custody. He must also register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life and follow all restrictions outlined for people identified as a sexual predator.

If he does not complete all the requirements as ordered by Wright, Goins could get his wish and be sent to prison for up to 10 years on the third-degree sexual abuse conviction.

According to Des Moines County district court records, Goins was charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse after he admitted to police he had sex with a 15-year-old acquaintance on two occasions, Nov. 24 and 25.

At the time of the alleged assaults, the victim's mother had reported to police she had run away from home.

Police first became aware of the sexual assaults after the girl returned home and told her mother she had had sexual relations with Goins.

The initial assault occurred in the evening hours of Nov. 24 behind Burlington High School, court records indicate. The second assault occurred in the garage of a Burlington residence the next day.

Goins was arrested by Burlington police a few days later in the 500 block of Hedge Avenue.

According to court records, a forensic specialist at the Muscatine Child Protection Center interviewed the girl, who indicated to the interviewer Goins had threatened her before having sex.

"She stated she was with Goins behind Burlington High School ... when they went to an area behind the building near the bleachers," court records indicate. "She stated Goins told her they were going to have sex and she told him 'No.' She said Goins told her 'we are going to have sex or I am going to kick your a--.' She said they then had sex and she went back to her residence."

The second assault occurred the next day when the teenager left home again and met Goins at another location. She said he then forced her to have sex with him again.

"I didn't want him threatening me," she told the interviewer in explaining the second sexual encounter.

Police located her that same evening and returned her to her mother.

According to court records, when police contacted Goins by telephone Nov. 29 he admitted having sex with the girl, but said she told him she was "18, then 16, and then 15 years old ... but he admitted she had told him she was 15 before they had sex."

During the interview with the detective, Goins told him he "just wanted to go back to prison and knew right from wrong."

According to district court records, Goins was sent to prison in the past on a burglary conviction. He also has numerous misdemeanor convictions on a variety of charges.

Wright ordered Goins held in the county jail until bed space becomes available at the residential facility.

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(c)2018 The Hawk Eye (Burlington, Iowa)

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