Iowa District Court Judge Angela Doyle has sentenced Joseph D. Peterson, of Fort Dodge, to 50 years in prison following Peterson’s December 2019 conviction for second-degree sexual abuse for sex acts committed against a child under the age of 12.

On Dec. 13, Peterson had been convicted of eight counts of second-degree sexual abuse by a Webster County jury. Peterson had been charged with two counts, but an additional six were added during the trial.

Prior to Monday’s sentencing, Doyle struck the six additional counts, citing recent Iowa law precedence.

For the two counts that stand, Doyle sentenced Peterson to 25 years in prison for each count, to be served consecutively. Seventy percent of each sentence must be served prior to Peterson being eligible for parole or work release.

When Peterson is released from prison, he will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The full story will be in Tuesday’s Messenger.