Authorities search Midwest Academy

An Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Crime Scene Unit vehicle was parked in front of Midwest Academy Thursday in rural Keokuk, hours after officers executed two search warrants.

Updated at 5 p.m. Friday

Mark Sobotta of Lindenhurst, Ill., had to leave work early Friday afternoon to drive to Keokuk and pick his daughter up from Midwest Academy. He was not happy about it.

“This is what’s going on and this is my concern,” he said. “Your Health and Family Services of Iowa has infiltrated Midwest Academy and they are giving parents 24 hours to pick up their kids or they’re going to put them in a shelter"

Sobotta said Midwest Academy is being closed.

“There’s not just one child there, there are 100 to 150 children at Midwest Academy,” he said.

Read Monday's Daily Gate City for more about this story.

Updated at 11 p.m. Friday

The Iowa Department of Human Services was called to Midwest Academy Thursday after two search warrants regarding an allegation of sexual abuse were executed at about 12:30 p.m. by state, federal and local agencies.

According to a statement from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, DHS personnel conducted 28 assessments at Midwest Academy.

No charges have been filed or arrests made to date. DCI has not received any further allegations involving Midwest Academy.

“Agents continue to work together to thoroughly investigate this very complex area,” according to the statement.

Call 800-225-5324 with information about Midwest Academy beneficial to the investigation.

Agencies involved in the execution of the search warrants include the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s Major Crime Unit, Special Enforcement Operations Bureau, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Crime Lab Crime Scene Team, State Fire Marshal’s Division Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol and Lee County Sheriff's Office.

ORIGINAL STORY:

By Cindy Iutzi

dgceditor@dailygate.com

A troubled-youth treatment center and affiliated site, both in South Lee County, were the scenes of a coordinated raid at around noon Thursday with more than 30 law enforcement officers participating.

Two search warrants were executed at Midwest Academy and the former Mithelman Meadows.

The search warrants stem from an investigation into allegations of alleged sexual abuse involving a staff member of Midwest Academy and a former academy student, according to a DCI statement released Thursday afternoon.

Personnel with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation Major Crimes Unit, Special Enforcement Operations Bureau, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, DCI Crime Lab Crime Scene Team, State Fire Marshal Division, Iowa State Patrol Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Lee County Sheriff’s Office conducted the search.

The first search warrant was served at the facility’s main campus, 2416 340th St., Keokuk, and the second at 2818 Highway 218, Montrose.

Lee County Sheriff Jim Sholl said a briefing was conducted at about 10 a.m. Thursday at the Lee County Correctional Center.

He took part in the initial action to help form a perimeter that would prevent anyone from fleeing. No one attempted to leave the grounds, Sholl said.

At about 3:15 p.m., the Midwest Academy grounds were still closed to anyone except employees going to work, a situation enforced by a sheriff’s deputy.

Keokuk Mayor Tom Marion said Thursday that he was caught off guard by the news.

“I had no forewarning,” Marion said. “I hope this is an isolated incident, not a full-blown investigation.”

No further information was available this morning, although messages were left with DCI Public Information Officer Alex Murphy.

About Midwest Academy

Midwest Academy is self-described as a “therapeutic boarding school (that) has been helping families for more than a decade,” according to the facility’s website, midwestacademy.net.

“We provide struggling teens with a safe, structured and disciplined environment,” the website claims.

The academic program, designed for youth ages 13 to 17, is described as “impactful” along with therapy and seminars, and “provides a safe, comfortable, structured and disciplined environment while offering the industry’s best academics, therapy and seminar programs. Our powerful, proven and unique system teaches teenagers and their families accountability, responsibility, teamwork, integrity, self-awareness and self-reliance.”

Midwest Academy was opened in 2003 by Brian Vaifanua, and was welcomed to Keokuk as a stride in economic development.

At capacity, it would be at 250 to 300 students, according to an estimate by then facility director Ben Trane. In its opening days, there were 14 students and 26 employees, growing to 50 students and 70 employees by the next year. Students could expect a stay of 12 to 15 months with 18 months the ideal duration, Trane said in a Daily Gate City article.

“A merit-based program, students earn everything they have in a six-level program buttressed by counseling, self-esteem building and communication skills education,” according to Trane.

Civil suit

On Jan. 15, 2010, the fifth version of a civil lawsuit against 37 defendants by 133  plaintiffs was filed  in the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah by the law offices of Windle Turley in Dallas Texas, and James McConkie II, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Neither law firm claims to be handling the legal matter, representatives said Friday.

The entire 2010 version of the lawsuit can be found at heal-online.org/hurley.pdf.

Among the named defendants are Midwest Academy, Vafanua and the alleged owners of the company.

 “No. 32. – Defendant Midwest Academy is a Limited Liability Company organized under the laws of the State of Iowa, is a ‘WWASPS Enterprise’ associated-in-fact residential school,” according to the lawsuit. “This defendant may be served with process on its registered agent: Mark R. Adams, West Des Moines or this defendant may be served by serving Robert B. Lichfield at 317 Lichfield Lane, Toquerville, Utah or at S1240 E 100S No. 9 St. George, Utah, because Robert B. Lichfield is principal in charge of the entire WWASPS Enteprise, the association-in-fact complained of herein, and this defendant was functioning as Lichfield’s alter ego.”

The lawsuit claims plaintiffs “were subjected to physical abuse, emotional abuse and sexual abuse at various WWASPS Enterprise facilities. Such abuses were inflicted on some children for several years. In many instances the abuse could be accurately described as torture of children.”

Calls were made this morning to the Turley and McConkie law firms, but due to the time zone difference, no contact was made.

A news conference was held at 10 a.m. today at the sheriff’s office. An update will be made at dailygate.com after the meeting.