By Gary Dickson, Editor – Siouxland Observer

On Aug. 15, a Union County jury found Troy Cooke of Sioux City, Iowa guilty of one of two counts of sexual contact with a child under the age of 13. The verdict came after barely one hour of deliberation.

During the trial, the jury heard testimony from the now 10-year-old victim, the victim’s mother, North Sioux City Police Officer Andrew Ryan who originally took the report, and Jessica Fetrow, a Child Forensic Interviewer from MercyOne Child Advocacy Center.

Cooke took the witness stand as the defense’s only witness.

This hasn’t been Cooke’s first involvement with law enforcement. He was sentenced to one month in federal prison on Nov. 22, 2019, for providing an employee from his business with a firearm knowing that the employee was a felon. Cooke pleaded guilty to one count of transferring a firearm and ammunition to a prohibited person.

Evidence produced by the federal government at the change of plea and sentencing hearings revealed that Cooke allowed felons access to his guns and, on one occasion, actually gave a felon a gun as collateral on a debt. He was fined $15,000. He also had to serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term.

With Cooke found guilty by the jury that Thursday, Aug. 15, he had to deal with charges of bestiality the next day.

Cooke at first was going to deny knowingly and intentionally sexually stimulating a dog for the defendant’s own sexual gratification.

But then he learned of the “Nanny Cam” video.

The state intended to present for evidence a video of the defendant and Diego the dog in the home of the victim mentioned in the earlier sexual contact charges and the victim’s mother from Thursday’s case. The video, which was taken March 8, 2024, through a “nanny cam” recorded the defendant using his hand to sexually gratify Diego the dog. Although Cooke denied the act, the state argued that the video proves the defendant did knowingly and intentionally sexually stimulate Diego the dog for the defendant’s own sexual gratification.

Cooke then changed his mind and pleaded guilty.

On Monday morning, Jan. 6, Cooke will learn the consequences of being convicted of sexual contact with a child under the age of 13 and also of admitting to committing bestiality with a dog named Diego. It will be at the Union County Courthouse in Elk Point, S.D.

State’s Attorney Kathy Zenner said she’d like to see Cooke go to prison.

I’d guess the victim, her mother and Diego, the dog would like to see that happen, too.

---