Dubuque Man Charged with Over 20 Sex Crimes Involving Middle School Student

A 31-year-old Dubuque man has been arrested and charged with more than two dozen sex crimes after authorities say he engaged in a sexual relationship with a middle school student under the age of 14.

According to reports and Dubuque's P2C, Fabian Eric Swank, was taken into custody on Friday, February 14th, and is currently being held at the Dubuque County Jail. According to court documents, Swank faces charges including one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child, four counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, 13 counts of Sex Offender Registration Violation - Crime Against a Minor, three counts of Sex Offender Registration Violation - Second or Subsequent Offense, three counts of Lascivious Acts with a Child, one count of Grooming, three counts of Indecent Contact with a Child, one count of Purchase or Possession of a Depiction of a Minor in a Sex Act, and one count of Dissemination and Exhibition of Obscene Material to Minors.

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The investigation began when a school resource officer met with an assistant principal at Washington Middle School after concerns arose regarding an inappropriate relationship between Swank and a student. A teacher had noticed suspicious emails between the two on a school-issued laptop. The messages included the student asking Swank not to refer to her with affectionate terms due to school monitoring. In the emails they also discussed pretending to be cousins to hide their relationship.

During an interview with police, Swank admitted to having a sexual relationship with the student. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 25th at 10:50 am at the Dubuque County Courthouse.

Swank is a registered sex offender with a previous conviction for Assault with Intent to Commit Sexual Abuse. Court records show that on July 5th, 2012, at the age of 18, Swank was convicted in Dubuque County for an offense involving an adult female victim. He is currently classified as a Tier 2 sex offender in Iowa, requiring biannual reviews.

In addition to his current charges, Swank was also charged with one count of animal neglect resulting in injury. He remains in custody as legal proceedings continue. If convicted, he faces significant prison time. Authorities are urging anyone with additional information to come forward as the investigation remains ongoing.