OTTUMWA POLICE DEPARTMENT

NEWS RELEASE
Tom McAndrew
Chief of Police
Copies to:
Chief of Police
City Administrator
Public Information Office
Ottumwa Courier
Council Members

KTVO
KBIZ
KISS
KLEE
Mayor

Issued by: Lt. Jason Bell

Date: February 26, 2016

Amber Alert Suspect Indicted in Federal Court

On Thursday, February 25, 2016, Kevin Ariel Toala Ramirez, age 19, was transferred from the
custody of the Wapello County Jail into the custody of the US Marshalls Service.
Ramirez had previously been charged by the Ottumwa Police Department from an incident that
took place in October, 2015, that led to the issuance of a nationwide Amber Alert.
Ramirez was indicted by a grand jury in the United States District Court for the Southern District
of Iowa on the following charges:
Count 1:

Coercion or Enticement of a Minor; Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual

conduct.

Count 2:

Coercion or Enticement of a Minor; Transportation with intent to engage in

criminal sexual activity.

Count 3:

Possession of Child Pornography

Please note the following pursuant to recent Supreme Court rulings: A criminal charge is
merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.