OSKALOOSA – An Oskaloosa man was arrested over the weekend after an investigation into child sexual abuse.

The Oskaloosa Police Department says that 60-year-old Robert Eugene Trout Jr. was taken into custody on Saturday following an investigation that took over a year.

The Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force reportedly sent information regarding suspected child sexual abuse material being downloaded within the city of Oskaloosa to the Oskaloosa Police Department in August of 2024. The initial CyberTip was submitted to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) in June 2024, after an electronic service provider reported that apparent illegal material was being accessed from an IP address located in Oskaloosa.

Investigators conducted a court-authorized search warrant to obtain subscriber information associated with the IP address in question. That information identified the individual associated with the account. Residence information was independently confirmed.

On August 21, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence in the 100 block of North 7th Street, where investigators seized multiple electronic devices, including cellular phones, computers, hard drives, laptops, and digital storage media. All seized items were later submitted to ICAC for forensic examination.

The forensic review conducted by ICAC identified a significant amount of suspected child sexual abuse material, including numerous images and videos involving minors well below the age of legal consent. Additional evidence, including internet bookmarks and search terms, was consistent with the exploitation of children.

Based on the forensic findings and investigative interviews, investigators obtained a court-authorized arrest warrant for Trout on November 14, 2025.

On November 15, 2025, officers located Trout during a traffic stop within the City of Oskaloosa and took him into custody without incident.

Trout was charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and transported to the Mahaska County Jail. Additional charges could be forthcoming as the ICAC completes review of the remaining seized devices.

Authorities say that while the case involved material obtained online, there is no evidence that any children in Oskaloosa were directly harmed. The investigation remains ongoing.