Fort Madison man gets 20 years for sexual abuse

FORT MADISON - A Fort Madison man has been sentenced to two decades in prison on multiple counts of sexual abuse.
On Friday, Aaron Joseph Gilman, 46, of Fort Madison, was sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison following convictions on two charges of sexual abuse in the 3rd degree. The sentences will be served consecutively.
In addition, Gilman was sentenced to one year each on two counts of Invasion of Privacy. These sentences will be served concurrently with each other.
On November 27, 2024, Aaron Joseph Gilman, 46, of Fort Madison was charged with Two (2) Counts of Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree, and with Two (2) Counts of Invasion of Privacy.
These charges resulted after a search warrant was executed on Gilman’s electronics. Two videos were discovered in which Gilman is seen committing sex acts on his wife, who was physically helpless as defined by Iowa law (asleep/unconscious) at the time. The charges specifically allege Gilman committed sexual abuse upon a person who was incapacitated, precluding their ability to give consent on two occasions on or about June 8, 2015, to about February 12, 2022, in Fort Madison. The invasion of privacy charges are a result of his filming the acts without the knowledge or consent of the other person.
On February 19, 2025, Gilman was found Guilty on all charges by a jury of his peers. Sexual Abuse in the 3rd Degree carries an indeterminate sentence of up to ten years (on each count), with a lifetime special sentence, and sex offender registration requirements. Invasion of privacy charges are each punishable by up to one year.
The Fort Madison Police Department was the responding agency and led the investigation on the case. This matter was prosecuted by the First Assistant County Attorney from the Lee County Attorney’s Office.