Oelwein Firefighter Charged With Indecent Exposure

A former Oelwein city council member who currently serves the community as a volunteer firefighter has been arrested on indecent exposure charges.

Benjamin Weber is accused of twice exposing himself to an employee at a mobile sweet corn stand outside a Casey's General Store in Independence. Authorities took Weber into custody on Thursday and booked him into the Buchanan County Jail, following an investigation.

The latest of the two alleged incidents occurred on Aug. 22. Independence police said Weber drove to the sweet corn stand outside the Casey's at 1906 3rd Ave. SE and exposed himself to an employee while sitting in his vehicle exchanging cash for corn.

Officials said a similar incident, also involving Weber, happened at the same location on Aug. 8.

The city of Oelwein's website shows that Weber is a captain on the volunteer fire department. He also served as an at-large representative on the Oelwein City Council from 2013 through 2018.

If found guilty of the indecent exposure charges, Weber faces a maximum of one year in jail and a $1,875 fine for each count. Conviction would also require Weber to be placed on the state's sex offender registry.