Newspaper Delivery Driver Arrested for Sex Charges Against Minor

Published by admin on Thu, 01/09/2025 - 10:33am

By:

Jennifer Burnham

News Editor

A newspaper delivery driver at Mid-America Publishing (which owns the Hampton Chronicle) was arrested for sexual misconduct charges against a minor this morning.

Richard Dixon Peacock II, 29, of Geneva was arrested at the Hampton Chronicle office at 11:20 a.m. by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office on a Pine County, Minnesota arrest warrant. He is facing one count of criminal sexual conduct - penetration or contact with a person under 14 years old and another count for kidnapping/confinement and removing a person without consent. Both charges are felonies.

There was a nationwide extradition warrant for Peacock. Pine County Sheriff’s Office (out of Minnesota), Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation worked together on the warrant. Franklin County Sheriff Aaron Dodd said his agency has been working with the Pine County Sheriff's Office for several weeks.

An hour-long search was executed at his house in Geneva at 11:59 a.m. on Monday.

According to the victim's complaint, Peacock messaged back and forth with an 11-year-old girl on Discord. The victim stated that she identified herself as an 11-year-old and that "Richard" identified himself as a 27-year-old. She reported that they met in person in Hinckley, MN, on Dec. 21, after telling her parents she was staying with a friend for the night. They ate at a diner and then saw a movie at a local theatre, before going to a hotel room that Peacock had booked for the night. According to the complaint, Peacock took naked photos of the victim. He touched her sexually and told her to touch him. Video surveillance at the theatre showed them being there together.

Peacock is currently being held at Hardin County Jail without bond. He is awaiting an extradition hearing.