Iowa Man Gets 19.6 Years for Trafficking Minors

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – John F. Thomsen, a 47-year-old resident of Missouri Valley, Iowa, will spend the next 19 years and 7 months behind bars after being sentenced to 235 months in prison for the horrific exploitation of two minor females. Chief United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey handed down the sentence on January 25, 2017, following Thomsen’s guilty plea on September 1, 2016, to charges of coercion and enticement of a minor for sex, and transporting a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity.

The case, prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, stemmed from a disturbing investigation revealing a pattern of grooming and trafficking. Thomsen, while employed at a group home in Arkansas, initiated contact with a 14-year-old girl. Even after leaving his position, he relentlessly pursued the girl through social media, manipulating her into leaving Arkansas and moving in with him and his wife, Trudy Thomsen, in Missouri Valley, Iowa.

Investigators uncovered evidence that the Thomsens traveled to Arkansas, abducted the minor, and transported her to Iowa, where they subjected her to repeated sexual abuse. The depravity didn’t end there. After returning the girl to the group home, John Thomsen continued his online contact, arranging for her – and a second minor female – to be smuggled back to Missouri Valley for further exploitation. This wasn’t a spontaneous act; it was a calculated, predatory scheme.

United States Attorney Kevin E. VanderSchel announced that Thomsen will also be subject to 15 years of supervised release after completing his prison sentence, a small measure of accountability for the lasting trauma inflicted upon his victims. While justice has been served in this instance, the scars of this abuse will undoubtedly remain.

The investigation was a collaborative effort led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, with crucial support from the Arkansas State Police, Missouri Valley Police Department, Council Bluffs Police Department, Omaha Police Department, La Vista Police Department, and the Harrison County Attorney’s Office. The coordinated response highlights the dedication of law enforcement to combatting the scourge of child sex trafficking.

Co-defendant Trudy Thomsen remains pending sentencing in the Southern District of Iowa, and is expected to face consequences for her role in this horrific crime. Those with information regarding child exploitation are urged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST. For media inquiries regarding this release, contact Rachel J. Scherle at 515-473-9300 or Rachel.Scherle@usdoj.gov.