Two Charles City men are charged in the beating of an accused child molester. Floyd County Attorney Norm Klemesrud said 35-year-old Eric Helfter and 26-year-old Leigh Viers both of Charles City were arrested and charged with willful injury causing serious injury, a class C felony and conspiracy to commit a felony, a class B felony, after they allegedly assaulted 20-year-old Michael Agema.
Viers is a relative of the seven-year-old who is the alleged victim in the sexual abuse case against Agema. Court records say that Views picked Helfter up at his home on November 24th with Agema a passenger in the vehicle. Helfter, who had a baseball bat with him, got out of the vehicle with Agema and Viers in a secluded area near Charles City and struck Agema in the head and face with the bat, causing a cut to his lip which required stitches.
Agema’s trial is set for February 8th in Floyd County District Court. He was denied a bond review on January 3rd and remains in the Floyd County Jail on $25,000 cash-only bond. Viers and Helfter will have arraignment on January 17th.
By Chris Berg, KCHA, Charles City