OTTUMWA – An Ottumwa man is behind bars after allegedly sexually assaulting underage girls in his residence for a time period spanning almost a full year.

According to court records, 29-year-old Edwin Arredondo committed various sexual acts with two underage girls in his home on the 1300 block of East Mary Street from April 2024 to March 2025. The two girls were of ages 7 and 10 years old, and police say Arredondo was the only adult in the residence at the time. 

Court documents also show that the girls’ 3-year-old sister was left unattended for extended periods of time while the abuse was taking place, and even walked in on the abuse on one occasion.

Arredondo was arrested on Monday and charged with several felonies, including four counts of second-degree sexual abuse (all class B felonies), lascivious acts with a child (a class C felony), and two counts of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person (both class C felonies); as well as child endangerment, an aggravated misdemeanor.

He is currently being held in the Wapello County Jail on a $100,000 cash-only bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for August 20, and he was ordered to not have any contact with the victims.