MAQUOKETA - A man who was sexually and physically abused as a child and then went on to abuse children himself is the first person from Jackson County to be committed to Iowa's sexually violent predator unit.

Donald DeMoss Jr., 33, is one of more than 70 people who reside in the 10-year-old unit at Cherokee.

District Judge Mark Cleve ruled that DeMoss is likely to "engage in predatory acts constituting sexually violent offenses if he is not confined in a secure facility."

According to court documents:

DeMoss was sexually and physically abused by relatives beginning at the age of 8 years. He first abused another person at the age of 13, when he inappropriately touched a 10-year-old boy. After that incident, DeMoss was placed in a residential treatment facility for more than two years.

At the age of 26 or 27, DeMoss repeatedly abused three young girls who were left in his care. He also sexually abused the child of a relative who had abused him. He was convicted of lascivious acts with a child in 2000 and spent time in prison.

Three years later, he was convicted of having a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. He was sent to prison again.

DeMoss testified "that, during this second period of imprisonment, he realized he knew he had a problem and that he had to change his life," documents state. He participated in two years of sex offender treatment. While in prison, he also admitting to abusing a young girl and telling her that he would kill her mother if she notified anyone.

Also, DeMoss told officials he decided to enter treatment because he knew he had a problem he could not control, documents state. Iowa officials offered evidence that DeMoss told his counselors he was afraid he would reoffend.

DeMoss denied making that statement, as well as a statement agreeing with his diagnosis of pedophilia. Also, DeMoss first said he was attracted to young girls, but later contended that he meant 13- to 14-year-old girls.

Finally, DeMoss said that if he were released from custody, he would live with his grandparents on a farm in rural Jackson County and would make money by doing chores there. He also indicated that he planned to receive psychiatric treatment and attend school to become a sex abuse counselor.

Experts for both the state and DeMoss testified, with the court calling into question the credibility of one of DeMoss's experts.

Ultimately, Cleve determined that the state proved the three items necessary for a civil commitment: that DeMoss had been convicted of, or charged with, a sexually violent crime, that he suffers from a mental abnormality and that the abnormality makes him likely to offend again if he is not confined.

DeMoss has appealed the decision.

Ann McGlynn can be contacted at (563) 383-2336 or amcglynn@qctimes.com.