An Ames man was indicted yesterday (Thursday) in federal court on charges of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and possession of child pornography. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa, 44-year-old Carl Dale Markley allegedly coerced at least 14 victims to participate in commercial sex acts, with offenses spanning from 2004 to April 2023. Additionally, the indictment accused Markley of sexually exploiting a 15-year-old between August and October 2020 to create child pornography and possessing child pornography knowingly. The list of charges includes fifteen counts of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion, one count of sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child, and one count of possession of child pornography. Each sex trafficking charge carries a mandatory minimum 15-year prison term and a life imprisonment maximum, while sexual exploitation of a child entails a mandatory 15-year term and a maximum of 30 years. The possession of child pornography bears a maximum imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. Attorney Richard Westphal announced the charges, and an investigation conducted by the Ames Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is ongoing. Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
