–A June trial date has been set for an Algona teen facing 16 different felony counts stemming from alleged incidents back in 2024.
Court records show a jury trial for 19-year-old Demetrius Heidelberg will begin on June 16th in Kossuth County District Court. Heidelberg is facing 8 counts of stalking using a technological device, 6 counts of stalking a person under 18-years-old, and 2 counts of extortion. District Court Judge Shane Mayer set the date after denying a defense motion to dismiss the charges due to procedural errors by the prosecution.
Heidelberg’s attorney argued that the prosecution deliberately waited to charge him until after his 18th birthday, even though the alleged crimes were committed and investigated while he was 17. The defense cited an Iowa Supreme Court ruling in State vs. Trompeter from 1996, where the court ruled in favor of the defendant.
Heidelberg’s motion to dismiss was denied by District Court Judge Charles Borth earlier this month. In his ruling, Borth said the circumstances in the Trompeter case, and this case were not the same. In Trompeter, Prosecutors waited over 3 years to file a separate charge in adult court after the defendant turned 18.
While the prosecution in this case did not go into specifics as to why they waited until April of 2025 to file charges against Heidelberg when the investigation was wrapped up in the summer of 2024, Borth says the delay in filing charges was not unreasonable. He also cited a previous court ruling in the case referring this matter to adult court as opposed to juvenile court. In the Trompeter case, the defendant served time as a juvenile and was released after turning 18, which is when prosecutors filed a new charge.
Heidelberg also has cases pending on similar charges in Humboldt and Palo Alto Counties.
