Sheriff's Office
Sheriff’s Office
Hours 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday

County Sheriff:
Darby McLaren
Employees in Sheriff’s Office:
Chief Deputy:
John Westering
Deputies:
Kyle Quist
Ben Bartholomew
Josh McLaren
Preston Harter
Jake Reynolds
Cameron Ward
Tim Olsen
Civil Deputy:
Spencer Walton
Sheriff’s Assistant:
Joni Knudsen
Office Liaison: Steph Witzman
5 West 7th Street
Atlantic, IA 50022
Fax: (712) 243-4736
For All Emergencies, Please Dial 911
Duties of the Sheriff’s Office
- The Sheriff is the principal peace officer of the county.
- Summons grand jurors and trial jurors.
- May call any person to his aid, and when necessary summons the power of the county.
- Serves subpoenas and other notices and levies on property when a judgment has been secured.
- Executes and returns all writs and other legal processes issued by lawful authority.
- Custodian of the county jail and is responsible for all prisoners committed to him until discharged by law.
- Transport individuals to locations as directed by court order.
WEAPON PERMITS
Weapon Permits
APPLICATION FORMS: https://dps.iowa.gov/divisions/administrative-services/weapons-permit
PERMIT TO CARRY WEAPONS INFORMATION:
The cost is $50.00 for a plastic permit card. This is a uniform card that will be issued by the Iowa Department of Public Safety. This card will be mailed directly to the mailing address provided by the applicant.
Must be 21 and a resident of Iowa.
TRAINING REQUIREMENT:
*Handgun safety training course utilizing an instructor certified by a state law enforcement agency;
*Handgun safety training course utilizing an instructor certified by the National Rifle Association;
*Completion of a hunter education program approved by the Natural Resource Commission, if handgun safety training is noted on the certificate of completion.
*Armed forces small arms training (for those released or retired from Active Duty) – requires documentation of honorable discharge OR general discharge under honorable conditions (DD-214, DD-256, NGB-22, or similar).
*Armed forces small arms training (for those on Active Duty) – requires certificate of completion of basic training or similar.
*Handgun safety training course for security guards, investigators, or special deputies, if such course has been approved by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
*TRAINING EXEMPTION – Documentation that applicant holds or held an Iowa Permit to Carry Weapons issued on or after 01/01/2011.
Applicant must apply in county you reside in.
Applicant must have driver’s license or ID with applicant’s current address on it.
Payment must be made at time of application by check or cash only.
Permit is good for 5 years.
PERMIT TO CARRY WEAPONS RENEWAL PROCESS:
Permit holders may apply for renewal within 30 days before or after their expiration date. The application must be filled out again and a $25.00 fee is payable at that time.
When the permit holder is earlier or later than 30 days of expiration, the regular fee of $50.00 applies.
Applicant must renew in county you reside in.
Applicant must have driver’s license or ID with applicant’s current address on it.
Payment must be made at time of application by check or cash only.
Permit is good for 5 years.
PERMIT TO ACQUIRE INFORMATION:
Must be 21 and a resident of Iowa.
The cost is $25.00 for a plastic permit card. This is a uniform card that will be issued by the Iowa Department of Public Safety. This card will be mailed directly to the mailing address provided by the applicant.
There is no training required.
Applicant must apply in county you reside in.
Payment must be made at time of application by check or cash only.
Applicant must have driver’s license or ID with applicant’s current address on it.
Permit is good for 5 years.
History
The first man hanged in the county was Mike Kelley, who killed a man named Tom Curran in a saloon. A mob took Kelley from the Town Constable and hanged him in a locust tree near Grove City. Iranistan was the first town in Cass County, two and a half miles west of the present town of Lewis. Lewis was started in 1853 and was made the county seat. The jail sat to the southeast of the courthouse in Lewis and housed twenty-two people. The living quarters for the sheriff was a two-story house attached to the jail. Both the jail and the Sheriff’s living quarters have since been torn down. The original courthouse in Lewis has also since been torn down. Lewis remained the county seat until 1882, when the seat was moved to Atlantic.
On March 15, 1932, the fifty-year-old courthouse in Atlantic was destroyed by fire. The county offices moved to the Atlantic Motors Company building at second and Poplar until the new courthouse was opened in 1934. This is the same courthouse in use today. The jail, which held twenty-one inmates, was then on the third floor, along with the living quarters for the sheriff.
In April of 1984, a new 16-bed ground level jail was built on the west side of the courthouse with no living quarters for the sheriff. The old third floor jail was renovated into office spaces.
On March 28, 1988, the largest cocaine seizure in Iowa at that time took place. Grizzley, the county drug dog, was used for probable cause to obtain a search warrant on the stopped California car. After the search warrant was executed, 189.2 pounds of cocaine was seized with a street value of $40,000,000. Grizzley joined the Department in June of 1986. Grizzley was donated by the Atlantic Elks Lodge #445.
On June 30, 1989, this office was called to the County Home south of Atlantic to help look for a man that had wandered off. Such a call was not out of the ordinary; however, what happened at the end of the afternoon will never be forgotten by the law officers in this area. While a ground search was under way, Trooper Pilot Lance Dietsch and Trooper Stan Gerling were in the patrol plane looking for the 66-year-old walk away. At 5:41 p.m., Dietsch radioed Sheriff Jones to say he would make one more sweep before calling it quits. One minute later, Dietsch radioed that he found the man and would circle the area. The next radio message was that the plane had crashed. Dietsch was removed and taken to Cass County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Gerling was killed instantly. This was the first plane crash involving a patrol plane that resulted in a fatality.
Rewritten article from the Atlantic News Telegraph, August 7, 1918:”Those who leave this county always feel pride that they came from grand old Cass in preference to the other counties of the state, and are always willing to welcome anyone from the old home county. In everything that makes a land worth living in, Cass County leads. Its roads are kept, its schools are as good as the best of them, and its land is among the most valuable land in America.” That feeling lives on today.
Press Releases
All criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in the court of law.
Arrest(s):
On March 12th, 2023, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Daniel Phillips Faulkner Jr., 41, of Casey, on the charges of OWI 1st Offense and Driving Under Suspension. Faulkner was transported to Cass County Jail where he was booked and later released on his own recognizance.
On March 15, 2023, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Marty Delanie Pelzer, 24, Griswold on charge of OWI 1st Offense. Pelzer was transported to Cass County Jail here he was booked and later released on his own recognizance.
On March 16, 2023, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Lucas Robert Swanson, 20, of Elk Horn, NE, on a Cass County warrant for the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Extortion and Harassment 1st. Swanson was transported to the Cass County Jail where he is currently being held on $250,000 bond.
On March 16, 2023, Cass County deputies arrested Kirstin Gail Winters, 32, of Sioux City, on the charge of Possession of a Controlled Substance. Winters was transported to Cass County Jail, booked and later released on her own recognizance.
Accidents:
On March 17, 2023, Cass County Sheriff’s Office responded to an accident at 5th and Olive St. in Atlantic. James Richard Cisar Jr of Atlantic, driving a 2006 Chevy Cobalt, was traveling eastbound on 5th St. As Cisar approached the intersection of 5th and Olive St, he collided with a southbound 2016 Kia Optima driven by Jennifer Lynn Conrad. No medical attention was needed at the scene.
On March 9th, 2023, at approximately 7:30 am., Cass County Deputies responded to a four vehicle accident on Hwy 92 and 710th St., near Massena. Micheal Ann Rimel, of Massena was traveling eastbound on Hwy 92 driving a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Rimel slid and crossed the center line due to the adverse weather conditions, striking a 2017 Ford Fusion driven by Erin Ann Propp of Melbourne. A 2003 Dodge Ram pickup, driven by Michael Jay Kaloides of Greenfield traveling westbound was slowing to avoid the collision when he was struck from behind by a 2013 GMC Terrain driven by Kaitlyn Sue Wilson of Fontanelle. Kaloides was transported to Cass Health by Massena Rescue, no other injuries were reported.
On March 9, 2023, at approximately 8:21 a.m., Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a one vehicle accident near 608 Marne Rd in Marne. Amber Nicole Scott of Avoca, driving a 2019 Ford Expedition was travelling eastbound on Marne Rd when she began to slide on the roadway due to the weather conditions. Scott slid off the right side of the roadway and struck a garage located at 608 Marne Rd. No injuries were reported.
Civil Division
Please contact the Sheriff’s Office prior to faxing or emailing documents for service. Advance fees are accepted, but not required prior to service being provided. You may contact the Sheriff’s office at 712-243-2206 or email swalton@casscoia.us for any additional civil process questions.
Pending Sheriff’s Sale (s):
306 West 7th St., Atlantic, IA Sale Notice – April 18th, 2023 @ 10:00 AM, Cass County Sheriff’s Office
58162 Yankton Rd., Griswold, IA Sale Notice – April 25th, 2023 @ 10:00AM, Cass County Sheriff’s Office
**Please click the link to view the current Notice of Sheriff’s Levy and Sale**
K-9


K9 Vader, a German Shepherd, was purchased with money seized from drug forfeitures. Vader is a dual-purpose K9 certified in narcotics detection, suspect apprehensions, handler protection, building and area search, tracking, and evidence searching. Deputy Kyle Quist is Vader’s handler. K9 Vader replaced K9 Kane after Kane suffered a career-ending injury. K9 Kane was highly awarded in his time with the Cass County Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Quist and Vader have already won several awards in their time together. Vader has had numerous narcotics finds and apprehensions of offenders.
Deputy Quist has been part of several K9 teams in his career and is a Certified Trainer who trains the Cass County Sheriff’s Office’s K9 Units.
K9 Mufasa, a German Shepherd, is part of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office crime-fighting force. Deputy Tyler Shiels is Mufasa’s handler. Mufasa was purchased with money seized from drug stops in Cass County. Mufasa is a dual-purpose K9 trained in tracking, area and building searches, handler protection, suspect apprehension, and narcotics location.
How to Lodge a Personnel Complaint
Download Personnel Complaint Form
Cass County Jail/Current Inmates/PREA Compliance
inmate roster 3-16-23 The Cass County Jail is located at 5 West 7th Street, Atlantic, IA 50022. Inmates can receive mail correspondence at this address. The jail can be reached 24 hours a day at (712) 243-6960. Please click the link below for the current inmate list.
DISCLAIMER:
Record of an arrest is not an indication of guilt. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office does not provide case disposition.
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office provides this roster as a public service. The Cass County Sheriff’s Office does not expressly or by implication warrant that the information or data accessed by the customer is accurate or correct. The Sheriff is not liable for any loss, cost, damage or expense arising directly or indirectly in connection with this access. In no event shall the Sheriff be liable for any special or consequential damages or for any direct damages resulting from the customer’s use or application of the information obtained as a result of using this web site.
Individuals obtaining information from this web site should verify accuracy through the arresting agency or Iowa Courts Online.
THIS AGENCY IS PREA COMPLIANT
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office and the Cass County Jail have zero-tolerance of sexual misconduct of inmates (by inmates, staff, volunteers, contractors).
HOW TO REPORT
-In Person
-Phone Call
-Letter
-Anonymously
WHO TO REPORT TO
-Sheriff
-Jail Administration
-County Attorney
-Public Defender
-Phoenix House
CONTACT INFORMATION
Cass County Jail
5 West 7th Street
Atlantic, IA 50022
712-243-6960
Phoenix House
Sexual Assault Line
300 West Broadway
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
1-888-612-0266 (toll-free)
Cass County Sheriff’s Office
5 West 7th Street
Atlantic, IA 50022
800-233-3336 (toll-free)
712-243-2206
IowaVINE
The IowaVINE system is a service through which victims of crime can use the telephone or internet to search for information regarding the custody status of their offender and to register to receive telephone and email notification when the offender’s custody status changes. The toll-free number for IowaVINE is 888-7-IAVINE or 888-742-8463. This service is provided to assist victims of crime who have a right to know about their offender’s custody status.
Go to the VINE Website.
Links
- Homeland Security Investigations Victim Notification Program
- State of Iowa Amber Alert
- Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division
- Iowa State Sheriffs & Deputies Association
- Iowa Law Enforcement Academy
- National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
- Concerns of Police Survivors (COPS)
- Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)
- Atlantic Iowa Police Department
Other Related Links