Mental health therapist arrested for sexual abuse of 13-year-old in O'Brien County

PRIMGHAR, Iowa (KCAU) — A Sibley man and mental health therapist is accused of sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl.

According to court documents, a 13-year-old boy reported to police that his mental health therapist, Martin Wallace, 75, had inappropriate contact with him. The child said there were three separate occasions of indecent touching. These incidents occurred from August 1, 2023 to May 4, 2024 in Sheldon.

Wallace allegedly told authorities he had no cameras recording the sessions. During a search of Wallace's office, authorities discovered several hidden cameras, including a magnetic hidden camera, documents show. Authorities also found evidence that matched the victim's statements.

Wallace was arrested on a warrant on May 31. He was charged with the class D felony of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist, the class C felony of lascivious acts with a child and the class B felony of second-degree sexual abuse. He was booked into the O'Brien County Jail on $40,000 bail, but was released on June 1.

Wallace's next court appearance is scheduled for the afternoon of June 21.

Wallace has a “mental health counselor” license that has been active as of Wednesday afternoon, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health's Office of Professional Licensing. Its license will expire in September 2024.