Thomas James Coleman, owner of Beaverdale Confections, was arrested and faces charges linked to an online child predator investigation, according to Newton police.
NEWTON, Iowa — The owner of a Des Moines candy store was arrested this week amid an online child predator investigation, Newton police said Thursday.
Officials said 60-year-old Thomas James Coleman of Des Moines was taken into custody without incident Wednesday following the execution of a search and seizure warrant at his home.
Coleman was booked into Jasper County Jail and faces charges of grooming, a Class D felony, enticement of a minor under 16 for sexual purposes, a Class D felony, and sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class B felony.
Class D felonies carry a max of five years in prison and $7,500 in fines, while Class B felonies carry a max of 25 years behind bars.
Newton police said the investigation began Aug. 20 into a suspected online predator later identified as Coleman. He is the current owner of Beaverdale Confections, according to a video on the store’s social media on Aug. 28.
In Newton PD’s investigation, an officer posing as a 15-year-old on the social media platform Kik communicated with Coleman. During the conversations, he allegedly solicited who he thought was a child to engage in sexual acts and asked them to send him nude photos.
Criminal complaints state Coleman, who was using the username “dsmhammer,” told the detective he was 48.
Despite being told the child alias was 15, he allegedly still called them “hot” and asked for photos including “full body” and “naked,” according to the court documents.
He also reportedly asked for the child’s home address multiple times and indicated a desire to commit sex acts on them.
After obtaining a search warrant for Coleman’s Kik account, Newton police said they were able to find his email address and his real name.
When Newton police met with him, court documents state he admitted to sending the messages to the alias and confirmed the “dsmhammer” account was his. When talking with Newton PD, Coleman reportedly estimated the child alias was 16.
Records show that Coleman bonded out of jail and has a court appearance set for Sept. 22.
