SIDNEY, IA - The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office is objecting to a probation sentence for a Sidney man convicted of lascivious acts with a child.

In a press release, Sheriff Kevin Aistrope said the sheriff’s office stands with all survivors of sexual abuse, especially children, and commends their courage for seeking justice.

The sheriff said his office objects to the court’s decision to suspend prison terms for 81-year-old Ronald Boyer.

Aistrope: “The sentence does not reflect the severity of Boyer’s crimes and fails to deliver justice to the victim and others affected.

“Lenient sentenced for sexual offenses – especially against children – undermine public confidence in the legal system and may discourage other victims from coming forward.”

County Attorney Peter Johnson said he recommended the maximum sentence of two consecutive 10-year prison terms because of the “level of harm” committed against the child victim.

After a plea agreement, Boyer was sentenced to two concurrent terms to be served over 10 years and as fined $2,740. The court suspended that sentence and imposed a two-year probation term.

Johnson said he understands the sentiment in the sheriff’s statement and the need to deliver accountability and justice, but said it’s important to note that under the probation term Boyer will remain in custody.

Johnson: “He will be transferred to a locked facility for the foreseeable future.”

He said Boyer is required to strictly conform to the terms of probation that include a robust sex offender treatment program. He will remain in custody until the Department of Corrections concludes he has received the maximum benefit of the treatment program.

Here is the sheriff's press release

An 81-year-old Sidney man was sentenced on February 24, 2025, in Fremont County District Court following his conviction on two counts of Lascivious Acts with a Child, a Class C Felony. District Court Judge Margaret Reyes presided over the sentencing hearing.

In December 2023, during a separate investigation, deputies uncovered evidence that Ronald Dean Boyer had sexually assaulted a child multiple times in Fremont County between 2020 and 2023.

Following a thorough investigation, which led to multiple convictions of other suspects involved in other acts of sexual related offenses, in both state and federal court, Boyer was interviewed in August 2024. During the interview, he admitted to acts of sexual abuse, including offenses against minors dating back to the early 1980s.

Boyer was arrested on September 13, 2024, by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and initially charged with multiple offenses, including four counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, one count of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, and five counts of Incest. He was held on a $150,000 cash-only bond before sentencing.

As part of a plea agreement, Boyer pleaded guilty to two counts of Lascivious Acts with a Child, a Class C Felony, with an agreement for open sentencing. In Iowa, an open sentence means the court, rather than the prosecutor, determines the defendant’s punishment.

At sentencing, Fremont County Attorney Peter Johnson requested the maximum penalty allowed under Iowa law—two ten-year prison terms to be served consecutively. However, despite the State’s argument, Boyer was sentenced to two ten-year prison terms to be served concurrently. The court also imposed fines totaling $2,740.

Judge Reyes then suspended both the prison sentence and fines, deciding instead to place Boyer on probation for two years under the supervision of the Fourth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services.

As a condition of his probation, Boyer must reside at a residential treatment center until the Department of Corrections determines he has achieved maximum benefit. Additionally, he is required to register as a sex offender, submit to DNA profiling, and successfully complete Iowa’s Sex Offender Treatment Program, among other requirements.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office strongly objects to the court’s decision in this case. The sentence does not reflect the severity of Boyer’s crimes and fails to deliver justice to the victim and others affected. Lenient sentences for sexual offenses—especially against children—undermine public confidence in the legal system and may discourage other victims from coming forward.

We stand with all survivors of sexual abuse, especially children, and commend their courage in seeking justice. It is essential that our legal system acknowledges the harm suffered by victims and the ongoing risk posed by offenders like Ronald Boyer.

This case was investigated by the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by the Fremont County Attorney’s Office with assistance from the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

 

-Sheriff Kevin Aistrope