Nurse practitioner sex-trafficked kids, adults for over 20 years in Iowa, feds say
.jpg "An Iowa nurse practitioner was sentenced to life in prison after he was accused of sexually abusing dozens of kids and adults.")
A former nurse practitioner was sentenced to life in prison after officials said he sex-trafficked and abused dozens of kids and adults for more than 20 years in Iowa.
Carl Dale Markley, 45, of Ames pleaded guilty to 15 counts of sex trafficking, according to a March 24 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
McClatchy News reached out to Markley’s attorney for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Between 2001 and 2023, Markley sexually abused dozens of teenage boys, young men and some young women, officials said.
Markley was a nurse practitioner and owned several businesses. He used his positions to “befriend and gain the trust of victims, and then groom and repeatedly sexually abuse them,” according to prosecutors.
“For a number of victims, Markley placed hidden cameras in locations to record this abuse,” prosecutors said.
He used various lies to get the victims to comply, including that the sexual contact was necessary for research he was conducting, that his insurance company required him to perform physicals, or that he was obtaining advanced degrees, officials said. None of these explanations were true.
An investigation into Markley began in December 2022 when police received a complaint that he was conducting physicals on minors without the parents’ consent.
Authorities then interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses, according to officials.
“They also seized and searched dozens of electronic devices, including seven cellphones and 10 computers determined to be Markley’s and on which they located the hidden-camera materials Markley had created internet-based child pornography, including images depicting children under the age of 12, and other evidence of Markley’s crimes,” prosecutors said.
At his sentencing, Markley gave “false justifications for his behavior,” but a judge described him as “delusional,” officials said.
“Markley’s life sentence was absolutely warranted and necessary to permanently prevent anyone from being victimized by him again,” U.S. Attorney Richard Westphal said. “His defiance and failure to accept responsibility only exemplifies what a monstrous sexual predator he is.
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 3:02 PM with the headline "Nurse practitioner sex-trafficked kids, adults for over 20 years in Iowa, feds say."
