Dubuque Man Sentenced to 22 Years for Sexually Exploiting a Child and Conspiring to Distribute Ice Methamphetamine

A man who sexually exploited a child, conspired to distribute ice methamphetamine, and distributed ice methamphetamine was sentenced today to 22 years in federal prison.

Christopher Frommelt, age 43, of Dubuque, Iowa, received the sentence after a February 22, 2019, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of sexual exploitation of a child, one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distribution of a controlled substance to a person under 21 and near a protected location, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine on premises where a person under 18 was present.

The evidence at trial showed that, in January 2018, Frommelt provided ice methamphetamine to a 16-year-old girl and videotaped himself having sex with her.  The evidence also showed that Frommelt conspired with others to distribute ice methamphetamine.  He provided a rental car and over $2,600 for others to obtain ice methamphetamine in Texas. 

Frommelt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  Frommelt was sentenced to 264 months’ imprisonment.  A special assessment of $5,400 was imposed, and Frommelt must also serve a 6-year term of supervised release.  He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, the Dubuque Drug Task Force, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cascade Police Department, and the Dyersville Police Department.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is CR 18-1037.