Summary: Bettendorf attorney Stephen Warren Newport was charged with third-degree sexual abuse after making a female client touch him and then offering to waive her legal fees in exchange for sex.
An Iowa attorney who exposed himself to a female client turned himself in after charges were made against him. Stephen Warren Newport of Bettendorf is accused of exposing himself to a client and then later that day calling her and offered free legal representation in exchange for oral sex, according to the Quad-City Times.
The police say that in January, Newport, 66, put the woman’s hand on his scrotum without her permission so she could feel his implanted medical device. The arrest affidavit filed in the Scott County District Court states that Newport then called the woman later the same day, telling her he could waive her payments for his legal services in exchange for oral sex or her undressing in front of him.
These offenses resulted in charges of third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony, a serious misdemeanor of indecent exposure, and aggravated misdemeanor for prostitution. A warrant with $5,000 cash or surety bond was issued Friday but he turned himself into the courthouse Monday, appearing before Associate Judge Christine Dalton. There he waived his right to a preliminary hearing and will just prepare for arraignment May 17.
Dalton released Newport without requiring bond but did place him on the highest level of pretrial release supervision, including curfew, home visits, weekly face-to-face contact, and electronic monitoring if needed.
The arrest affidavit filed in the backing of the criminal complaint stated that the woman went to his law office on January 19 to go over a civil case he was representing her in. She was in his private office with the door locked when he started talking about the implanted device in his scrotum, exposing himself to show her. He then took her hand without asking her and put in on his scrotum so she could feel the device for herself. He also fondled himself a little while doing this.
Immediately after Newport did this, the woman grabbed her things and left the office. Newport apparently did not understand that the woman was upset seeing as how he called her later that same day to explain he would take oral sex or her undressing in front of him as a form of payment for his legal services.
Several weeks later, the woman sat with a police officer to make a recorded call via speaker to Newport. Newport made statements during the call confirming her claims that he requested oral sex in exchange for his legal services.
When Newport was interviewed by police that same day, where he denied everything. He claims he does not know how she knows about the implanted device and that his statements earlier on the phone were him asking her a question about the alternative payment options and sexual favors that she brought up.
Since Newport has practiced law in Scott County’s criminal courts for so long, Scott County Attorney Mike Walton requested the appointment of a special prosecutor in order to “avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.” Judge Mark Lawson granted the request. Walton further explained that his office has not been involved in the investigation, charges or arrest.
Do you think lawyers like Newport full this kind of stuff all the time but never get caught or have a lapse in judgment just once? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
To learn about more lawyers caught having sex with clients, read these articles:
- Lawyer Hypnotizes Clients for Sex
- San Antonio Lawyer Compelled Clients for Sex
- Florida Female Lawyer Disbarred after Having Sex with Clients
Photo: globegazette.com