Former Iowa hospital employee faces sexual exploitation charges

An Iowa City social worker is facing charges after new criminal complaints allege he groped at least one victim during scheduled appointments in 2022, KCRG reports. James Burkhalter, 44, of Coralville, is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation by a counselor or therapist. In a criminal complaint filed Friday, police said the incidents occurred in the 500 block of Kirkwood Avenue in Iowa City. The complaint specifically mentions incidents in which he allegedly groped a victim during scheduled dates in July and November 2022. However, the complaint does not state whether there were multiple victims or whether the same victim was groped multiple times. The incidents cited in these charges occurred after Burkhalter was fired from the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in May 2022 over allegations of sexual misconduct that arose in 2021 and again in April 2022. Friday’s new complaints allege Burkhalter’s Location of work during alleged incidents not disclosed. However, in February 2023, just months after these recent alleged incidents, Burkhalter’s license was indefinitely suspended by the Iowa Board of Social Work.” Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayGet the latest headlines from KCCI