A Calhoun County man accused of abducting and sexually abusing two children faces the possibility of life in prison following his arrest last month. According to Calhoun County District Court records, 20-year-old Marco Antonio Lerma of Rockwell City was taken into custody on May 21 by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and Rockwell City Police Department on an outstanding warrant. Authorities took a complaint on May 3 alleging Lerma had sexually assaulted a minor child. While an investigation into that incident was ongoing, law enforcement says Lerma sexually assaulted another child. According to Calhoun County District Court records, Lerma is charged with first-degree kidnapping, second-offense third-degree sexual abuse, class A felonies, and third-degree sexual abuse, a class C felony. As of Friday, he remains in custody at the Carroll County jail on a more than $100,000 bond. A bond review hearing is slated for Monday, June 27. If convicted of the class A felony charge, Lerma faces a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
