Iowa man helped Adventureland performer exchange nude photos with child

An Iowa man has agreed to plead guilty for facilitating the exchange of nude photographs between a child younger than 16-years-old and the star of Bixby's Aussie Adventure, an exotic animal program at Adventureland Amusement Park.

Christopher Charles Kaiser, of Fredericksburg, was charged in Polk County last month for felony enticing a minor with intent to commit a sexual act. He agreed to plead guilty to the state charge en lieu of a federal case filed against him last year, court documents say.

The 39-year-old was first indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2016 along with co-defendant Barry Dean Devoll, who went by "Bixby" in several traveling animal shows geared for children.

According to Polk County court filings, Kaiser helped arrange sexual encounters with the victim and Devoll while they were working at Adventureland in 2015. 

Devoll, 33, of Cedar Falls has since pleaded guilty to one count of attempted enticement of a minor in the U.S. District Court in Des Moines. He faces a minimum of 10 years in prison. 

IRS filings say Devoll was president of a Cedar Falls nonprofit, The Blue Trunk Educational Series, and Kaiser was the organization’s director. The organization sponsored the Bixby and Friends educational shows Bixby's Inflatable Rainforest, Give Back Wildly and Bixby's Aussie Adventure. 

The Blue Trunk Educational Series was an independent contractor that performed at Adventureland and several other venues, including schools throughout Iowa.

Neither Kaiser nor Devoll were Adventureland employees, said Molly Vincent, director of marketing, in an emailed statement. They have not performed at Adventureland since the 2015 season, she said.

"Adventureland terminated its contract with Blue Trunk immediately upon learning of these allegations and will not permit Blue Trunk personnel back on park premises under any circumstances," she said. "Adventureland has a zero tolerance policy towards this behavior, and will continue to do everything in its power to protect the safety of anyone who works at or visits our park."

Court records say Kaiser allegedly gave the victim rides to Adventureland's campground and to Runnells, where they kept the show animals, to meet up with Devoll. He also encouraged the victim to work out before sending nude photographs to Devoll. 

Police said Kaiser arranged for the victim to go to Florida to be with Devoll. 

According to court documents, Kaiser admitted in an interview with the United States Attorney's Office to seeing nude photographs shared between the victim and Devoll. He also told authorities he left the two alone in Devoll's camper on multiple occasions. 

Kaiser's federal case was set to go to trial on July 3 in Des Moines, but his attorney arranged for the defendant to face state charges in exchange for a guilty plea. He turned himself into Altoona police around 3 a.m. Friday and has since posted bond. 

He is scheduled to be arraigned July 24 and sentenced later this year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.