Alleged “Twilight” impersonator David A. LaVera is expected to change his plea on federal child pornography charges during a hearing set for Thursday.
The hearing comes four days before 33-year-old LaVera was set to stand trial on charges brought forth by a by a federal grand jury including knowingly producing child pornography, or sexual exploitation of a minor, as well as knowingly possessing child pornography. He originally pleaded not guilty to both counts.
The court documents released in August said LaVera used his smartphone to video a 12-year-old victim taking a shower and a 13-year-old victim using the bathroom at a Newton home. According to court documents, LaVera later uploaded that video onto his laptop computer for viewing.
The 33-year-old California man was charged locally in June 2014 after allegedly used his celebrity status to entice a 14-year-old girl to a park in Baxter after having sexually explicit conversations with the teen on Facebook. While at the park, LaVera is accused of touching the teen inappropriately and then luring her into his vehicle. He allegedly drove her around Baxter until concerned family and friends, who had reported a kidnapping, were able to stop the vehicle and get the girl out of the car.
When stopped by police, LaVera was found with a sword longer than 8 inches hidden in the driver’s side door jam, which was within the defendant’s reach. LaVera also had four double-edged daggers in the vehicle’s center console within his reach.
LaVera also appeared at local schools and performed stunts at Aurora Height Elementary School and Berg Middle School, posing as Kiowa Gordon, an actor in the “Twilight” movie series. He was later present at Maytag Pool for and end-of-the-year celebration for Berg eighth-grade students.
Those visits led the Newton Community School District to evaluate its visitor policy and to implement a more stringent policy to ensure student safety.
While initially charged with enticement of a minor, carrying weapons and failure to have a valid driver's license, local authorities introduced six additional charges last August. Four of those charges were dropped by the state after federal charges were filed.
LaVera is also scheduled to face four state charges including third-degree sexual abuse, enticement of a minor, attempting to entice a minor and carrying weapons. A trial date has been scheduled for April 15 in the Jasper County Courthouse.
Thursday's hearing is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. at the U.S. District Courthouse in Des Moines.
Contact Staff Writer Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com