Eighteen-year-old Christian Blauw of Knoxville was given a 25-year suspended prison sentence Thursday morning for second degree sexual abuse in Marion County District Court. 

This case stems from an incident when Blauw was 16 and sexually abused someone under the age of ten. Blauw pleaded guilty to this charge on June 30th, 2023, and this is a case where sentencing has been continued multiple times due to Blauw working on completing a juvenile treatment program at the state training school. The defense asked for Blauw to receive a prison sentence not to exceed 25 years, and Blauw’s attorney Erin Carr asked for probation with a deferred judgment. 

The judge in this case met somewhere in the middle, where Blauw was still convicted and sentenced to prison time, but that sentence will be suspended as Blauw will have to successfully complete probation and report to the Fort Des Moines Residential Program. The judge stated in this case that he took into account that Blauw was a minor when he committed the sexual abuse and that he wants to give him a chance for the maximum rehabilitation. Blauw had a juvenile case and adult case open in this situation, but his juvenile case will close as soon as he is transferred to Fort Des Moines. 

Blauw will be required to register as a sex offender and complete the required treatment program.