Iowa State Patrol Confirms Arrest of Trooper

Iowa Department of Public Safety

Des Moines, IOWA — Colonel Patrick J. Hoye, Chief of the Iowa State Patrol today confirms the arrest of Trooper Mikel Yauk from Oelwein, Iowa.

Mikel Yauk is a 12 year veteran of the Iowa State Patrol. He has served his entire career in northeast Iowa, headquartered at the Oelwein, Iowa State Patrol Office. Currently, Yauk is on paid administrative leave. He will remain on leave, pending the outcome of the personnel or criminal investigations.

Upon the DCI arrest, Colonel Patrick Hoye said, “As all suspects do, Yauk deserves a chance to be judged by his peers in a court of law. However, in light of the charges, I’d like to assure members of the public that we expect State Troopers to conduct themselves with only highest degree of moral and ethical conduct. We are here to serve the public and we will always work to maintain their trust in the Iowa State Patrol.”

Agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) arrested 37 year old Mikel Yauk of Oelwein, Iowa. Yauk was charged with Burglary in the First Degree, a Class B Felony.

Yauk is a 12 year veteran of the Iowa State Patrol.

On Thursday, October 6, 2011 the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office requested DCI assistance on an investigation of an alleged sexual assault by an Iowa State Trooper in West Union, Iowa. According to the criminal complaint, DCI agents determined that Mikel Yauk did enter the residence of a West Union woman with the intent to commit burglary and sexual assault.

A criminal charge is merely a criminal charge and not an indication of guilt. All suspects should be considered innocent until proven guilty.