Creston - Oct. 29, 2023

Roni L. Steil, 26, of Woodburn, was taken into custody 9:30 a.m. Oct. 27 at the Union County Law Enforcement Center on a Union County warrant for violation of pretrial release on the original charges of incest, administering harmful substances, three counts indecent contact with a child, three counts lascivious acts with a child, two counts child endangerment and two counts sexual abuse, second degree.

According to an Iowa Department of Corrections Pretrial Release Division report, Steil was granted pretrial release Oct. 20 on the original charges and was found to have violated the conditions of her release after an anonymous report was received by a pretrial release officer stating Steil was seen driving with a minor in her car.

Steil initially said she had not been alone with a minor or had a minor in her car. When confronted with GPS location information which showed her at the Chariton High School on multiple occasions, she admitted she had been alone with a 16-year-old within the last two weeks, driving and picking the minor up from school. A review of GPS information from Sept. 27 through Oct. 19, showed Steil had been on the Chariton High School property 17 times.

Steil was transported to the Adams County Jail and held on $95,000 cash only bond.

–– –– –– –– –– 

Lela A. Churchwell, 44, of Creston, was taken into custody 3:37 p.m. Oct. 28 at McKinley Park on a Union County warrant for the charge of failure to appear on the original charge of disorderly conduct - loud raucous noise and new charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and consumption of an alcoholic beverage in a public place, first offense.

No information on the arrest was available.

Churchwell was transported to the Adams County Jail and held on $900 cash or surety bond.