Lang
3/28/26
An Iowa City man accused of soliciting multiple minors for sex has been given a deferred judgment.
Judge Brandon Schrock handed that sentence down to 27-year-old Mark Zogg-Kellett of North Johnson Street on Friday. Iowa City Police say in September and October of 2024 Zogg-Kellett used an online profile in an attempt to entice girls he believed to be 12, 14 and 15 years old. Zogg-Kellett, who police say was impersonating another teen, allegedly told the girl he believed to be 12 that he wanted to have relations with someone their age, and that it would be his fault if she turned out “slutty”. Police say he told the girl he thought was 15 that he wanted to “do stuff in bed” but didn’t want to be on “the registry”. He allegedly told the third girl he would travel for sex.
Zogg-Kellett was initially charged with three counts each of Attempt to Entice a Minor and Grooming. If convicted on all counts, he would have faced a maximum of 21 years in prison.
On Friday, Schrock gave Zogg-Kellett a deferred judgment on one of the grooming charges and dismissed the other five counts. Zogg-Kellett was also placed on the Iowa Sex Offender Registry for ten years and was given three years of probation.