Former City of Muscatine employee pleads guilty to theft

Today, February 22, 2013, in Muscatine County District Court:

Diana Lynn FRY (DOB: 8/24/1959) pled guilty to Theft in the First Degree, a class "C" felony for the taking of more than $10,000 from the City of Muscatine while she was employed as a clerk in the city's finance department. In connection with the guilty plea FRY admitted taking approximately $15,545 over a three year time period.

"The plea agreement calls for the defendant to make a restitution payment of at least $8,500 at sentencing," said Muscatine County Attorney Alan Ostergren who prosecuted the case. "This will cover the City's deductible for its insurance against employee theft. My goal in this case is to do everything I can to get the taxpayers repaid as quickly as possible," he added. "The plea agreement provides that if she does not have the $8,500 restitution payment on hand at sentencing the Court will be free to impose a prison term of up to ten years," said Ostergren.

FRY will be sentenced April 12, 2013, at 9:15 a.m. This case was investigated by the Muscatine Police Department.

In other matters today:

Martin LeRoy REISEN (DOB: 4/12/1963) was sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance. The Court granted a deferred judgment and placed the defendant on supervised probation for three years. The case was investigated by the Muscatine County Drug Task Force.

Levi Scott LOGEL (DOB: 8/14/1994) was sentenced after pleading guilty to Burglary in the Second Degree. The Court granted a deferred judgment and placed defendant on supervised probation. As a condition of probation the defendant will be required to successfully complete programming at the Residential Correctional Facility in Davenport. The case was investigated by the Muscatine Police Department.

Brooks WAGNER (DOB: 5/31/1994) was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver. The Court granted a deferred judgment and placed defendant on supervised probation. The case was investigated by the Muscatine Police Department.

Joanna GANN (DOB: 2/11/1986) was sentenced for two counts of Possession of a Precursor Substance. GANN had pleaded guilty and received a deferred judgment in May of 2009. After the filing of a probation violation complaint the Court determined that GANN had violated the terms of her probation. The Court entered judgment and sentenced the defendant to serve an indeterminate prison sentence of not to exceed five years. The case was originally investigated by the Muscatine Police Department.

Former Muscatine man charged with Murder in the First Degree

Muscatine County Attorney Alan R. Ostergren announced today that a charge of Murder in the First Degree has been filed against Hiram Serrano, Sr. (DOB: 6/13/1964), formerly of Muscatine, in connection with the death of Theresa Jackson.

The criminal complaint alleges that on November 14, 1990, Serrano slashed the throat of the victim and struck the neck of the victim. The complaint further alleges that the victim was left a quadriplegic as a result of her injuries. Serrano was arrested that date and charged with the offenses of Attempted Murder and Willful Injury. He was found guilty after a jury trial and was sentenced on May 3, 1991, to an indeterminate prison term of not to exceed 35 years. Serrano served approximately 13 years imprisonment before being paroled for these offenses.

The victim died October 5, 2012. The cause of death is alleged by the criminal complaint to be hydrocephalus due to fibrosis and adhesions of the exit foramina of the brain. The complaint further alleges that this condition was due to the injuries to the neck and spinal cord suffered on November 14, 1990. The manner of death was ruled to be homicide by the medical examiner.

Serrano was arrested today (February 21, 2013) by the Muscatine Police Department and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. He is being held in the Muscatine County Jail on $500,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 4, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.

A criminal charge is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed to be innocent.