Des Moines man gets 70 years for sexually abusing minors

A Des Moines man was sentenced Thursday to 70 years in prison for sexually abusing two minor children.

Todd Robert Hicks, 43, was arrested in August 2022 and charged with six counts of 2nd-degree sexual abuse and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He was accused of abusing the children and filming the acts. He pleaded guilty to the charges on Jan. 17, 2023. 

Hicks must serve a mandatory 35 years of the 70-year sentence before he is eligible for parole. The Polk County Attorney's Office asked that the court order the sentences to run consecutively to recognize the two separate victims and separate filming of the acts. These offenses also carry a lifetime requirement of parole and compliance with the sex offender registry.  

These crimes were investigated by Det. Steve Bjurstrom of the Des Moines Police Department and were prosecuted by Assistant Polk County Attorney Meggan Guns, with the assistance of legal assistant Kayla McKee.