Iowa Juvenile Court Officer charged with taking bribes

Timothy Dean Rockhold
http://www.state.ia.us/government/dia/Rockhold.doc

Steven K. Young, Director
Former State Employee Charged with Bribery and Ongoing Criminal Conduct

DES MOINES, IOWA (October 27, 2005) - Timothy Dean Rockhold, 36,
of Mercer, Missouri, is scheduled for a November 4 arraignment in Union
County District Court on four counts of accepting a bribe and one count
of ongoing criminal conduct. Rockhold was employed as a Juvenile Court
Officer in south-central Iowa from mid-1993 until his resignation in
October 2003. During that time, Rockhold's primary office was
located in Creston.

The allegations against Rockhold stem from his recommendations
that a Greenfield, Iowa, firm, Phoenix Family Services, L.L.C., be used
for counseling services in connection with numerous juvenile court
cases. The referrals resulted in payments by the State and Federal
government to the agency for counseling and treatment services, based
on Rockhold's recommendations.

The State alleges in its criminal case that Rockhold accepted
payments from Phoenix Family Services on an ongoing basis from late
2001 to May 2003. The State further alleges that the Phoenix payments
influenced Rockhold's judgment, decisions, and discretion when he was
acting in his official capacity as a Juvenile Court Officer. Juvenile
Court Officers are employees of the Judicial Branch of Iowa State
Government.

Union County is one of 16 counties in the Fifth Judicial District
of Iowa. It is anticipated that a District Court Judge from outside
the Fifth Judicial District will conduct the proceedings and any trial
resulting from the allegations against Rockhold.

Accepting a Bribe is a Class C Felony, punishable by up to ten
years in prison and a fine of $10,000. A conviction of Ongoing
Criminal Conduct could result in a sentence of up to 25 years
imprisonment.

The investigation was jointly conducted by the Iowa Department of
Inspections and Appeals' (DIA) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Service/Office of Inspector
General. An Assistant Attorney General is conducting the prosecution
of Rockhold because the Union County Attorney cited a conflict of
interest in the matter. The criminal charges against Mr. Rockhold are
merely accusations and he is presumed innocent until and unless proven
guilty.