July 05, 2025

Police Blotter July 29, 2020

Newton Police Department

• Christopher D. Maahs, 35, of Newton, was arrested at 3:45 a.m. July 22 in the 2900 block of South 13th Avenue East on a Poweshiek County warrant for a probation violation. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Nathaniel J. Sjaardema, 31, of Reasnor, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia at 12:10 a.m. July 22 in the 100 block of First Avenue East. According to the Newton Police Department, Sjaardema was taken into custody for a parole violation warrant and upon searching his bags multiple glass pipes were located. Sjaardema was arrested. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Curtis D. D. Royce, 26, of Newton, was arrested at 6:31 p.m. July 23 at in the 800 block of North Fifth Avenue West on a Cedar County warrant for possession of marijuana, third offense. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Hank L. Benson, 32, of Newton, was arrested at 8:42 p.m. July 23 in the 700 block of East Eighth Street North on several Jasper County warrants, one for domestic abuse assault impeding air/blood flow causing bodily injury and five others for failure to appear in court. He was taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Tiffany K. Sweeney, 42, of Des Moines, was charged with operating while under the influence at 4:55 p.m. July 23 in the 1100 block of West Fourth Street South. According to the Newton Police Department, officers responded to a call at Maytag Park for an intoxicated female picking up her children. When officers arrived at the park witnesses stopped them and told officers the female was stumbling around and then took off driving in a silver minivan. Officers met the minivan in Maytag Park and dispatch said the plate did not match the vehicle. Officers stopped the vehicle based off of the information provided and spoke with the driver, identified as Sweeney. Officers could detect the odor of alcohol coming from her person. Sweeney refused sobriety tests and continued to tell officers they did not see her driving. Sweeney had slurred speech and was uncooperative and struggled to find her insurance card. Sweeney got out of her vehicle and would not follow instructions. Sweeney tried to get back into her vehicle and admitted to having two 16oz beers before driving. At the NPD, Sweeney admitted to feeling dizzy, and she should not be driving. Sweeney said a better choice would be to have stayed in a hotel. Sweeney was cited and released to appear in court.

• Nicholas J. White, 39, of Newton, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia at 5:26 a.m. July 25 in the 800 block of South Second Avenue West. According to the Newton Police Department, drug paraphernalia was in plain view in White's vehicle. Upon search of the vehicle, officers located a loaded syringe. White admitted the substance was morphine. There were glass pipes and a syringe in plain view in the vehicle. White was arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Kristen J. Cleverley, 38, of Story City, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia at at 5:26 a.m. July 25 in the 800 block of South Second Avenue West. According to the Newton Police Department, officers could see drug paraphernalia in plain view in Cleverley's vehicle. Upon search of the vehicle, officers found a loaded syringe. Cleverley admitted that the syringe contained morphine. Cleverley was arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Christopher L. Cleveland, 38, of Newton, was charged with interference of official acts, trespassing and possession of drug paraphernalia at 10:26 p.m. July 25 in the 700 block of North Second Avenue East. According to the Newton Police Department, officers responded to a call for a criminal trespass. Jasper County Dispatch told officers that Cleveland was on the property and had been previously trespassed by the NPD. Officers arrived and saw Cleveland standing in front of the front steps of the property. Officers made contact with Cleveland and place him under arrest for open charges. Officers conducted a search of Cleveland and located a clear glass pipe commonly used to ingest methamphetamine, with residue in Cleveland's front right pants pocket. Officers removed the pipe and sat it on the hood of their marked patrol car. The glass pipe rolled off of the hood onto the ground and Cleveland stomped on the glass pipe causing it to break. Cleveland was arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Eddie L. Young, 50, of Newton, was charged with consumption on public places at 1:25 a.m. July 26 in the 2200 block of First Avenue East. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were conducting a routine patrol and they observed a car in Aurora Heights Park after hours. Officers exited their marked patrol car and began searching for the occupants of the vehicle. Officers observed two individuals, one identified as Young, in the skate park portion of the park. Officers made contact with Young and the other individual and observed the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Young. Officers observed Young having bloodshot and watery eyes. Young admitted to consuming three beers that night. Young provided a sample of his breath for the preliminary breath test which indicated a breath alcohol content of 0.191. Young was arrested and taken to the Jasper County Jail.

• Robert J. Davis, 57, of Newton, was charged with operating while under the influence at 11 p.m. July 24 in the 200 block of South Second Avenue West. According to the Newton Police Department, officers were on an active patrol when they ran a vehicle plate. Officers made an attempt to make a traffic stop on the driver. Officers made a traffic stop in the vehicle and made contact with Davis. While speaking with Davis officers noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle. Davis admitted to driving the vehicle and admitted to drinking. Davis submitted to field sobriety maneuvers failing all three tests. Davis submitted to a preliminary breath test. The test indicated Davis's BrAc to be above 0.08 percent. Davis was cited and released to appear in court.