Ex-youth pastor gets probation in teen sex abuse case

A former youth minister from Elkhart has been sentenced to probation for sexually abusing an underage student.

Caleb Toney, 27, was arrested by Ankeny police in December. According to Polk County court complaints, Toney on multiple occasions had sexual contact with a teen boy, then a high school student, in 2018 and 2019. The teen told police that Toney was his youth pastor at the time.

Toney was charged with two counts of assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, as well as two counts of supplying alcohol to a minor involving the same teen and one other.

Court records do not identify which church or churches Toney worked for at the time of the offenses.

For subscribers:Iowa Baptist missionary convicted of felony sexual abuse after giving 4-year-old gonorrhea

In April, Toney pleaded guilty to two reduced charges of lascivious conduct with a minor and the two alcohol charges, all serious misdemeanors. On May 18, he was sentenced to two years of probation in lieu of a four-year prison term.

Toney also was ordered to register as a sex offender and remain on supervision for 10 years. As part of his probation, he was ordered to stay off Craigslist and other online personal ad or escort services.

He must pay a fine of $1,720 on top of other court costs and surcharges.

More:Lawsuit accuses one-time minister at West Des Moines church of sexual misconduct during counseling

Toney also was charged last year with assault in a separate Story County case. According to that complaint, Toney provided alcohol to a 15-year-old boy at a residence in Ames, then after the boy was intoxicated, began touching the boy's body until the teen stopped him and moved away. That charge was dismissed at prosecutors' request in January.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com, 715-573-8166 or on Twitter at @DMRMorris.