DES MOINES – A Des Moines man was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation and attempted sexual exploitation of a child and for possessing child pornography. According to court documents, in 2005 and again from at least 2013 to 2015, 62-year-old Jeffrey Walter Gray, exploited and attempted to exploit dozens of minors to produce child pornography on more than one hundred occasions. Gray did so through the photography business he owned and operated in the Des Moines area. Unbeknownst to clients, Gray placed hidden cameras in the dressing areas at Wicked Imagery’s photography studios to capture videos of minor children undressing. To date, investigators have identified over 20 children impacted.

TAMA COUNTY – A Dysart teenager was killed in a collision Wednesday evening. The Iowa State Patrol reports a Volkwagen GTI driven by 19-year-old Jason Thomas Payne was southbound on Highway 21 when it collided with a towing trailer in the northbound lane. Payne died from his injuries and Mark and Jeanne Bagenstos, who were both in a Ford F-150 carrying the trailer, were both injured.

DES MOINES – In an ongoing dispute among Polk County leadership, Supervisor Tom Hockensmith is accused of trying to fight with fellow supervisors after County Administrator John Norris was placed on administrative leave. The Des Moines Register reports the Polk County Sheriff’s Office has a report on file related to a confrontation and attempted firing of Norris. There are several ongoing legal disputes as part of what is described as a power struggle in Iowa’s largest county. Norris claims newly-elected Republican supervisors Jill Altringer and Mark Holm asked Norris to resign from the role. Supervisor Chair Matt McCoy says the board has decided to fire the administrator.