Iowa boarding school owner charged for abusing students

The former owner of an Iowa boarding school coerced a teenager into a sexual relationship and made others undress for his arousal.

Former Midwest Academy owner Benjamin Trane, 37, is charged with third-degree sexual abuse, sexual exploitation by a counselor and child endangerment. 

Investigators raided the Keokuk, Iowa, campus in January 2016 to investigate complaints that students faced physical, mental and sexual abuse.

Trane coerced one 17-year-old student to engage in sex acts in order to advance in the program and be allowed to contact relatives, according to investigators.

Trane also allegedly had other students undress for ‘body image therapy’ sessions he led, and kept students in isolation boxes for days or weeks at a time.

Midwest Academy in Keokuk, Iowa, closed its doors in January 2016

Trane, 37, allegedly had students undress for ‘body image therapy’ sessions he led, and kept them in isolation boxes for days or weeks at a time. He is pictured above in a booking photo

Twenty-eight students were assessed by child-abuse investigators during the two-day raid in January. 

A 19-month investigation into abuse allegations at the private, for-profit boarding school Trane operated in Keokuk ended Thursday when Trane turned himself in. 

The tough-love school for troubled youths closed in January 2016. It had about 100 students from mostly well-off families and 60 staff members.

The tough-love school for troubled youths had about 100 students and 60 staff members