A Des Moines man was arrested Friday in connection with a December incident in Adel involving a runaway juvenile female.
Jermaine Cornell Maurice Whitaker Moses, 20, of 1200 University Ave., Des Moines, was charged with interference with official acts and harboring a runaway against the wishes of the parent.
The incident occurred Dec. 18 about 10:30 p.m. in the 1400 block of Greene Street, where officers of the Adel Police Department were attempting to locate a juvenile female who had allegedly taken a vehicle without the owner’s consent.
The officers “were questioning multiple people” at the Greene Street apartment, including Whitaker Moses, who “was asked if the juvenile was inside of the apartment, and he stated she was not,” according to court records.
Whitaker Moses allegedly “attempted to conceal the juvenile by pulling a dress in front of” the investigating officer’s “face” so that the officer “would be unable to see the juvenile,” and in so doing “interfered and obstructed the officers’ investigation,” according to court records.
The officers later found the juvenile female “hiding in a closet” in the apartment.
A warrant for Whitaker Moses’ arrest was ordered Dec. 27 in Dallas County District Court and served Feb. 4. He is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $2,000 cash-only bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Feb. 15 in Dallas County District Court.
Whitaker Moses was convicted of interference with official acts in December in Polk County District Court.
As part of the same investigation by the Adel Police Department, Micah Taylor Arends, 19, of Adel and Victoria Carolyn Gammaitoni, 18, of Adel were each arrested Dec. 30 and charged with harboring a runaway against wishes of parent.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
