Des Moines man sentenced for sex abuse

A Des Moines man was sentenced Friday to a 12-year suspended prison sentence and five years of probation for sex acts with a teenager.

Coby Duane Hemphill was convicted by a jury April 14 of third-degree sexual abuse, a class C felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and sexual exploitation of a minor, an aggravated misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison.

At trial, the jury heard evidence that Hemphill, age 28 at the time of the crime, engaged in sex acts with a minor, age 15. He also possessed a nude photo of the victim’s breasts on his phone at the time a search warrant was executed by the Des Moines police.

Judge David Nelmark ordered that, as a condition of probation, Hemphill must reside at the Fort Des Moines Correctional facility, complete sex offender treatment, pay court costs and fines, and make restitution to the victim’s family. A Victim-Offender Dialogue was also ordered, if the victim’s family desires to confront the defendant. 

Hemphill will be on the Sex Offender Registry for life and is subject to a special sentence after completion of the probation, which will require Hemphill to be under the court’s supervision for 10 years.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant County Attorney Nan Horvat, with assistance by Kayla McKee. Des Moines Police Detective Lucas Kramer was the lead investigator.