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:
Brandon Taylor
Kyle Quist
Ben Bartholomew
Josh McLaren
Jake Reynolds
Sawyer Ocheltree
Cameron Ward
Civil Deputy:
Spencer Walton
Sheriff’s Assistant:
Steph Witzman
Office Liaison:
Caleb Smith
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 September 25th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Alexis Hoyt, 18, of Atlantic, for Operating While Intoxicated 1st Offense. Hoyt was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her initial appearance.
On September 24th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Shantell Michaels, 18, of Atlantic, on a warrant for Violation of a No Contact Order. Michaels was taken to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held until her later release after her initial appearance.
On September 22nd, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Clara Mohr, 37, of Anita, on the charge of Domestic Assault. Mohr was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on bond.
On September 21st, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Darren Brooks, 56, of Prescott, on the charge of Operating While Intoxicated 2nd Offense. Brooks was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.
On September 18th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Michael Johnson, 19, of Red Oak, on a warrant for Violation of Probation. Johnson was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held.
On September 14th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Korey Parrott, 22, of Atlantic, on the charge of Operating While Intoxicated 1st Offense. Parrott was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.
On September 14th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Chase Holmes, 26, of Griswold, on the charge of Violation of the Sex Offender Registry and Violation of Probation. Holmes was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on bond.
On September 14th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Michelle Schroder, 39, of Atlantic, on the charge of Operating While Intoxicated 1st Offense. Schroder was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on her own recognizance.
On September 14th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Matthew Steffens, 44, of Atlantic, on the charge of Driving While Revoked. Steffens was transported to the Cass County Jail where he was booked and held pending his later release on his own recognizance.
On September 13th, 2024, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office arrested Misty Rhodes, 44, of Atlantic, on a warrant for another jurisdiction. Rhodes was transported to the Cass County Jail where she was booked and held pending her later release on bond.
Civil Division
Please contact the Sheriff’s Office prior to faxing or emailing documents for service. Advanced fees are accepted, but not required prior to service being provided. You may contact the Sheriff’s Office at 712-243-2206 or email civil@casscoia.us for any additional civil process questions.
Pending Sheriff’s Sale (s):
98 Main St., Massena, IA 50853, Date of Sale: December 3, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
**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 Complian
inmate roster 10-8-24 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
- Official State of Iowa Website
- Iowa League of Cities
- Iowa State Assoc. of Counties
- Senior’s Guide to Fentanyl
- AddictionResource.net