On Thursday, October 26, the Oskaloosa Police Department arrested and charged Adam Wesley Sunkle age 43, of Oskaloosa with sexual abuse in the third degree.
The initial complaint was filed on September 25. The Oskaloosa Police Department received the complaint that the defendant that he had been sending, via phone messages, explicit material to a person age fifteen. Upon investigating the complaint it was also discovered that the defendant had committed sex acts against the fifteen year old. These sex acts had been ongoing since June 2017.
Sexual abuse in the third degree is a Class C Felony punishable by up to ten years in a state penitentiary.
Adam Sunkle is currently in the Mahaska County Jail waiting for an initial appearance in front of a Mahaska County Magistrate.
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It should be noted a criminal charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
On Saturday, October 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Oskaloosa Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 14th opportunity in 7 years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
Bring your pills for disposal to Mahaska Drug at 205 North E Street. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April Americans turned in 450 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,500 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 13 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 8.1 million pounds—more than 4,050 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
The Oskaloosa Police Department is pleased to announce that Officer Brandon Blanchard has been selected as the Oskaloosa Police Department’s 2017 Officer of the Year.
Officer Blanchard began his career with the Oskaloosa Police Department on November 12, 2013 and has worked as a patrol officer since joining the Department. Officer Blanchard was selected because of his tremendous work ethic, professionalism and caring compassion for his job and community. Officer Blanchard has a passion to always give his very best no matter what the situation, and always strives to go above and beyond the duty requirements. Officer Blanchard represents the Oskaloosa Police Department and our community very well.
All of the Oskaloosa Police Department staff are very proud of Officer Blanchard and his accomplishments.
“We have received an overwhelming response from the community,” said Police Chief Jake McGee at a final check presentation on Monday morning.
Chief McGee accepted a $5,000 donation from the Southeast Iowa Regional Board of Realtors on September 11th.
The Oskaloosa Police Department decided to begin their fundraising for a new K-9 unit back in June. The department set a goal to raise $40,000 to purchase and train a canine, buy a specific K-9 vehicle and appropriate training for the officer.
Oskaloosa Officer, Austin Rogers, spent an extensive amount of time for his K-9 research and will be the handler. McGee noted that having a K-9 is a huge commitment for an officer. “The dog is a part of your family, it comes home with you,” said McGee.
The OPD is expecting the new vehicle, and K-9, to last seven to ten years. This vehicle will only be driven on one shift. By purchasing a specific vehicle, will actually help save money for the department in a long run with no longer having to replace other patrol cruisers that were used for a K-9.
This is the third K-9 for the police department. Nash was the K-9 for Lt. McClun from 2003 to 2012 and Quest served from 1996 to 2003.
Officer Austin Rogers will head to Indiana in the spring for a 6-week training camp. Where he will be matched with a shepherd that is a year to a year-and-a-half old.
Chief McGee noted that it could be a German, Dutch or Czech Shepherd – but it will be a shepherd from overseas. Officer Rogers will work 7 days a week for 6 weeks in the spring of 2018. McGee wants Rogers and the dog to be back for about a month to ensure they are both ready for demonstration sometime in the summer of 2018.
According to Chief McGee, the department received donations from all over state of Iowa. “We received dollar donations from kids that came in and giving it to our receptionist,” said Chief McGee.”We had kids with lemonade stands donating their proceeds.”
Chief Jake McGee receives a donation from the Southeast Iowa Regional Board of Realtors at Taso’s Steakhouse
