Plea agreement for Northwood man accused of multiple child sex offense crimes in Worth, Mitchell counties

NORTHWOOD — A Northwood man accused of multiple child sexual offense crimes in two north-central Iowa counties has entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors.

67-year-old Douglas Warburton was charged with second-degree sexual abuse, third-degree sexual abuse, lascivious acts with a child and indecent contact with a child in Worth County, as well as three counts of exhibition of obscene material to a minor in Mitchell County. Criminal complaints stated Warburton showed pornographic videos to a child on three occasions in St. Ansgar and had sexual contact with a child in Northwood.

As part of a plea agreement filed in Worth County District Court, Warburton entered an Alford plea to one count of lascivious acts with a child, a Class C felony punishable by ten years in prison. With an Alford plea, a person does not admit guilt but acknowledges there is enough evidence for a likely conviction. As part of the agreement, the remaining charges in both counties would be dismissed.

Warburton is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24th.