Jetseta Gage
Encyclopedia
Jetseta Marrie Gage was a Cedar Rapids, Iowa
, child whose kidnapping, rape and murder prompted major changes in sentencing laws for those who commit child sex crimes in Iowa
.
Roger Bentley, a convicted sex offender
and friend of Gage's family, was arrested in connection with 10-year-old Jetseta's death. He was convicted of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping on January 31, 2006. On February 24, he was sentenced to two consecutive mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole.
, where he raped and killed her. An AMBER Alert
was issued shortly after it was noticed that the young girl was missing. The AMBER Alert
program had errors that night. A proper description with name and picture did not appear until hours after she had vanished. Bentley was arrested a day later. Investigators found her body inside a bathroom cabinet inside the trailer.
Bentley's trial was moved to Scott County
on the defense's change of venue
motion because of extensive pre-trial publicity
; local media dubbed the case "Justice for Jetseta." During his trial, prosecutors linked DNA
evidence found on Gage's body to Bentley, while the defense (which did not call any witnesses) claimed there were no eyewitnesses to the crime or direct evidence. It took just over two hours for the jury to arrive at its guilty verdict.
Bentley’s brother, 34-year-old James Bentley, was indicted in November 2004 on felony sexual abuse charges after authorities alleged he sexually abused Gage between 2002 and 2004. The Bentley brothers were not strangers to the family. Gage's mother had dated both men and allowed the brothers contact with her children. James Bentley was found guilty of second-degree sexual abuse at the Clarke County
courthouse in Osceola, Iowa
, on August 1, 2008. On March 1, 2007, a federal judge in Cedar Rapids found James Bentley guilty of six counts of child pornography
and sexual exploitation
charges in a separate trial. Bentley was accused of taking explicit photos of Gage and another infant girl in late 2003 and transporting those photos with him to Arkansas
shortly afterwards. He was sentenced to 100 years in prison on June 12, 2007.
Writers and broadcasters affiliated with the Associated Press
named the Jetseta Gage murder as Iowa's top news story of 2005.
passed a bill extending prison sentences and strengthening supervision of sex offenders – through methods such as electronic monitoring – upon their release from prison.
Also, numerous local governments throughout the state moved swiftly to enact stricter residency restrictions for sex offenders. Like a number of other states, Iowa already had a moratorium barring those on the sex offender registry from living within 2000 feet (609.6 m) of a school
or state-registered day care
center, and local officials proposed expanding the buffer zone to such child-oriented places as libraries, parks and swimming pools. While some cities and county governments passed such ordinances, other governments – such as the city of Davenport
and Scott County
– were cool to the proposal and ultimately did not enact the tighter restrictions.
Critics contended that the stricter residency proposals had several flaws, most notably:
In January 2006, 45 members of the Iowa Senate
– 23 Democrat
s and 22 Republican
s – co-sponsored a bill increasing the penalties for those convicted of certain sex crimes, including lascivious acts with a child and sexual exploitation of a minor. Under the proposal, a first-time offender would face a mandatory minimum 25-year prison sentence upon conviction.
Many Iowans, including the Gage family, have called for a restoration of the death penalty
, particularly for crimes in which children are raped and killed. Iowa abolished capital punishment in 1965, and is one of 12 states that currently do not have a death penalty. A GOP-sponsored bill failed to pass in 2005, and no action has been taken since.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, child whose kidnapping, rape and murder prompted major changes in sentencing laws for those who commit child sex crimes in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
.
Roger Bentley, a convicted sex offender
Sex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
and friend of Gage's family, was arrested in connection with 10-year-old Jetseta's death. He was convicted of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping on January 31, 2006. On February 24, he was sentenced to two consecutive mandatory sentences of life in prison without parole.
The crime
Prosecutors alleged that Bentley took Gage from her home to a run-down trailer in rural Johnson County, IowaJohnson County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 130,882 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,967 housing units, of which 52,715 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, where he raped and killed her. An AMBER Alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
was issued shortly after it was noticed that the young girl was missing. The AMBER Alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
program had errors that night. A proper description with name and picture did not appear until hours after she had vanished. Bentley was arrested a day later. Investigators found her body inside a bathroom cabinet inside the trailer.
Bentley's trial was moved to Scott County
Scott County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 165,224 in the county, with a population density of . There were 71,835 housing units, of which 66,765 were occupied.-2000 census:...
on the defense's change of venue
Change of venue
A change of venue is the legal term for moving a trial to a new location. In high-profile matters, a change of venue may occur to move a jury trial away from a location where a fair and impartial jury may not be possible due to widespread publicity about a crime and/or its defendant to another...
motion because of extensive pre-trial publicity
Publicity
Publicity is the deliberate attempt to manage the public's perception of a subject. The subjects of publicity include people , goods and services, organizations of all kinds, and works of art or entertainment.From a marketing perspective, publicity is one component of promotion which is one...
; local media dubbed the case "Justice for Jetseta." During his trial, prosecutors linked DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
evidence found on Gage's body to Bentley, while the defense (which did not call any witnesses) claimed there were no eyewitnesses to the crime or direct evidence. It took just over two hours for the jury to arrive at its guilty verdict.
Bentley’s brother, 34-year-old James Bentley, was indicted in November 2004 on felony sexual abuse charges after authorities alleged he sexually abused Gage between 2002 and 2004. The Bentley brothers were not strangers to the family. Gage's mother had dated both men and allowed the brothers contact with her children. James Bentley was found guilty of second-degree sexual abuse at the Clarke County
Clarke County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 9,286 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,086 housing units, of which 3,701 were occupied.-2000 census:...
courthouse in Osceola, Iowa
Osceola, Iowa
Osceola is a city in Clarke County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,659 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clarke County.-Geography:Osceola is located at , at the junction of Interstate 35 and U.S. Routes 34 and 69...
, on August 1, 2008. On March 1, 2007, a federal judge in Cedar Rapids found James Bentley guilty of six counts of child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
and sexual exploitation
Sexual exploitation
Sexual exploitation may refer to:*Sexual slavery*Sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian response...
charges in a separate trial. Bentley was accused of taking explicit photos of Gage and another infant girl in late 2003 and transporting those photos with him to Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
shortly afterwards. He was sentenced to 100 years in prison on June 12, 2007.
Writers and broadcasters affiliated with the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
named the Jetseta Gage murder as Iowa's top news story of 2005.
Reaction to Jetseta's death
In 2005, the Iowa General AssemblyIowa General Assembly
The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Representatives respectively...
passed a bill extending prison sentences and strengthening supervision of sex offenders – through methods such as electronic monitoring – upon their release from prison.
Also, numerous local governments throughout the state moved swiftly to enact stricter residency restrictions for sex offenders. Like a number of other states, Iowa already had a moratorium barring those on the sex offender registry from living within 2000 feet (609.6 m) of a school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
or state-registered day care
Day care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
center, and local officials proposed expanding the buffer zone to such child-oriented places as libraries, parks and swimming pools. While some cities and county governments passed such ordinances, other governments – such as the city of Davenport
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
and Scott County
Scott County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 165,224 in the county, with a population density of . There were 71,835 housing units, of which 66,765 were occupied.-2000 census:...
– were cool to the proposal and ultimately did not enact the tighter restrictions.
Critics contended that the stricter residency proposals had several flaws, most notably:
- Those on the sex offender registry for less-severe cases – such as a 19-year-old boy charged after having consensual sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend – would face the same residency restrictions as a violent predator.
- It would not prevent offenders from going to a school (e.g., to attend a sporting event) or other locations covered by the proposed residency restrictions; rather, it would merely preclude them from declaring residency near those places.
In January 2006, 45 members of the Iowa Senate
Iowa General Assembly
The Iowa General Assembly is the legislative branch of the state government of Iowa. Like the federal United States Congress, the General Assembly is a bicameral body, composed of the upper house Iowa Senate and the lower Iowa House of Representatives respectively...
– 23 Democrat
Iowa Democratic Party
The Iowa Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of Iowa.-Current elected officials:Iowa Democrats are in control of the Iowa Senate, one of the state's United States Senate seats, and three out of the state's five United States House of Representatives seats. ...
s and 22 Republican
Republican Party of Iowa
The Republican Party of Iowa is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Iowa. The State Central Committee is led by Chairman Matt Strawn and Co-Chairman Bill Schickel...
s – co-sponsored a bill increasing the penalties for those convicted of certain sex crimes, including lascivious acts with a child and sexual exploitation of a minor. Under the proposal, a first-time offender would face a mandatory minimum 25-year prison sentence upon conviction.
Many Iowans, including the Gage family, have called for a restoration of the death penalty
Capital punishment in the United States
Capital punishment in the United States, in practice, applies only for aggravated murder and more rarely for felony murder. Capital punishment was a penalty at common law, for many felonies, and was enforced in all of the American colonies prior to the Declaration of Independence...
, particularly for crimes in which children are raped and killed. Iowa abolished capital punishment in 1965, and is one of 12 states that currently do not have a death penalty. A GOP-sponsored bill failed to pass in 2005, and no action has been taken since.