Page 7 - ARUBA TODAY

A7
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 20 november 2019

Letter shows

psychologist broke rules

with Iowa sex predator

By RYAN J. FOLEY okuk. In custody, Goodwin
Associated Press has a record of expressing
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A sexually violent fantasies
psychologist in charge of and threats toward female
treating Iowa's most dan- guards and assaulting oth-
gerous sex offenders vio- er patients and staff.
lated policies by develop- Dunn alleged that Sanders
ing an improperly close encouraged Goodwin, 55,
relationship with a violent to masturbate in front of
predator who became ob- her and that they watched
sessed with her, The Associ- pornography together at
ated Press has learned. least once. He said Good-
Shannon Smith Sanders, win grabbed her buttocks a
who directed the treat- couple times and that they
ment program at the Civil developed an "emotional
Commitment Unit for Sex affair" that included sexual This June 16, 2010 file photo shows the exterior of the Civil Commitment Unit for Sexual Offenders
Offenders in Cherokee, discussions. He said his cli- (CCUSO) unit, that is part of the Cherokee Mental Health Institute in Cherokee, Iowa. Associated
did special favors for the ent frequently sent Sanders Press Associated Press
patient — sharing secrets notes written in code.
with him, bending the rules "She had Jeff so wound up Storm Lake, Iowa on Tues- chologist, who told him she "boundary/security issues"
for him and lying to protect that he was willing to kill day swiftly cut ties with would deny everything to that she failed to report, vi-
him, according to a Sept. himself or someone else if Sanders after learning of protect herself if they were olating numerous program
16 termination letter ob- he dishonored her or some- her alleged misconduct caught, Dunn said. and department policies,
tained under Iowa's open one else dishonored her," from AP, a college spokes- Their relationship devel- according to the termina-
records law. Dunn said in an interview. woman said. Sanders had oped this year after Good- tion letter signed by DHS
Sanders also failed to report "He was really going crazy." been teaching an online win returned to the pro- administrator Rick Schults.
that the patient was having The Iowa Department of course this semester and gram following completion Sanders refused to sign
personal feelings for her. Human Services, which was named its adjunct of a prison sentence at the the letter and resigned im-
The letter said Sanders' ac- operates the program, al- graduate faculty member Anamosa State Peniten- mediately. Her husband
tions constituted "boundary lowed Sanders to resign in of the year in 2018. tiary. also worked for DHS at the
violations," meaning they lieu of termination after a Sanders may avoid other He has been in and out Cherokee Mental Health
crossed the line into unethi- three-month investigation professional consequenc- of the treatment program Institute, which houses the
cal behavior that poten- into the complaint, docu- es. Psychologists who work for most of its 20-year exis- treatment program. Trevor
tially exploited the patient. ments show. for government agencies tence. The Iowa Supreme Sanders was in charge of
They also created potential Dunn recently asked the in Iowa are exempt from Court in 2004 upheld a overseeing surveillance
security concerns for the FBI to investigate, saying licensing requirements, jury's ruling that Goodwin is cameras and other elec-
institution, which houses the relationship may have which means she cannot a sexually violent predator tronic security systems. It's
about 120 sexually violent violated an Iowa law bar- face investigation or pub- who needs to be commit- unclear whether any video
predators who have been ring therapists from sexually lic discipline from the Iowa ted for treatment for sexual of his wife's alleged miscon-
ordered by the courts to be exploiting their patients. He Board of Psychology. sadism, exhibitionism and duct exists.
locked up for treatment fol- said Goodwin intends to Dunn said he fears that anti-social personality dis- Trevor Sanders also recent-
lowing completion of their pursue a lawsuit. Sanders will not be held order. ly left his state job, and the
prison terms. The Cherokee Police De- accountable and that she Sanders had been the pro- couple's Cherokee home
The letter did not identify partment is investigating could get another job at a gram's treatment director is listed for sale. Shannon
the patient. But attorney "claims that have been similar facility. for four years after previ- Sanders would not say
Jason Dunn told the AP brought to our attention," Goodwin filed his com- ously working at a state whether they have moved.
that it was his client, Jeffrey according to police Chief plaint against Sanders in hospital in Kansas, earning "I don't want anyone to
Goodwin, who has been Nate James, who declined June after coming to be- nearly $98,000 last year, re- know my whereabouts,
locked up since committing to elaborate. lieve that he was being cords show. for obvious reasons," she
a 1988 sexual assault in Ke- Buena Vista University in manipulated by the psy- The investigation revealed said.q