MUSCATINE, Iowa–On Monday, March 7, 2022, Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to Trinity Muscatine after a minor reported they had been sexually abused by George Wesley Bishop II, age 44, of Muscatine County.  Based on the information gathered, the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division investigated the allegations. Allegations and evidence showed Bishop had sexually abused the minor multiple times over several years.

On Friday, March 11, 2022, Bishop was arrested and charged with crimes relating to sexual abuse of a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor. Bishop has remained in custody since his arrest.

On Friday, July 21, Bishop appeared before District Court Judge Tom Riedel in Muscatine County District Court for a bench trial. Based on evidence from the minutes of testimony submitted to the court, Bishop was found guilty of one count of sex Abuse in the second degree (a class B felony), three counts of sex abuse in the third degree (a class C felony), and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor (class C felony).

George Bishop. Photo courtesy of the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office.

Bishop will be sentenced on September 22 in Muscatine County District Court and faces up to 85 years in prison.

The Muscatine Police Department, Iowa Department of Human Services, Mississippi Valley Child Protection Center, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations Criminalistics Laboratory assisted the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office.