Des Moines pastor sentenced in indecent exposure case, will avoid prison

Biong M. Biong, Des Moines Register
·2 min read
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A Des Moines pastor who pleaded guilty to indecent exposure will avoid prison.

Jose Artero Flores, 48, was charged in early 2023 with assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, an aggravated misdemeanor, and sexual exploitation by a counselor and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse — a class D felony that was dismissed by the court.

At a sentencing hearing Monday, he was given two years of probation. The court suspended a sentence of one year in prison.

The victim gave an impact statement at Artero Flores’ sentencing. She said Artero Flores not only traumatized her but also her infant daughter who was present during the incident. The victim said after the encounter, her daughter was too afraid to go to the living room, causing her to have to move.

Artero Flores, pastor for Palabra Viva Iowa, a Latino church in the Drake neighborhood of Des Moines, exposed his genitals to the woman and made further unwanted communications.

According to court documents, Artero Flores reached out to the victim via Facebook and offered to go to her house for relationship counseling. The victim asked Artero Flores to leave after he exposed himself and made unwanted advances. However, Artero Flores admitted that had the victim allowed him to return, he would have had sex with her.

Letters of support for Artero Flores were submitted to the court as part of the defense’s attempt to get Artero Flores a deferred judgment, citing his involvement in the community and his inability to continue his practice as a pastor. In response, Nan Horvat, the attorney representing the state, said I “don’t care if he can’t pastor a church — he shouldn’t.”

In addition to probation, Artero Flores will have to register as a sex offender and complete the Sex Offender Treatment Program. A no contact order with the victim is in place for five years.

Biong M. Biong is a reporter at the Register. Reach him at bbiong@dmreg.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines pastor sentenced in indecent exposure case