United States Attorney’s Office Announces Recipients of Victims Services Awards

As part of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 19–25, 2026, United States Attorney Leif Olson announced the recipients of awards for outstanding work in service to victims of crime.

Receiving the Victim Services Award is Sarah Harms, victim-witness coordinator of the Statewide Prosecution Section of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Receiving the Law Enforcement Victim Services Award are Deputy Erin Bennett, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Holly Witt, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation; and Detective Christopher Wuebker, Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office.

The Award for Victim Services honors individuals or groups working in a victim-service role. The Law Enforcement Victim Services Award is the highest federal honor for victim services presented to law-enforcement officers in Iowa.

“These recipients are heroes,” said Olson. “Victims and their families don’t ask to be made part of our criminal-justice system, but the system can’t succeed without their help. Ensuring that they are safe, respected, and understood throughout investigation and trial is crucial to making sure that justice is done. Deputy Wuebker, Deputy Bennett, Special Agent Witt, and Ms. Harms are role models, going above and beyond even the high standards of the local, state, and federal law-enforcement and victim-services teams serving Iowans every day.”

Detective Christopher Wuebker, Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office. Detective Wuebker receives the Law Enforcement Victim Services Award for his work investigating a cold case involving a missing 15-year-old victim, Jade Colvin. Detective Wuebker coordinated a multi-agency investigation that spent countless hours putting together a case that resulted in a second-degree murder conviction.

Detective Wuebker’s investigation began after the U.S. Marshal’s Service determined that Jade had last been seen in Winneshiek County in 2017. She was in Winneshiek County for only five days and was never seen again. Detective Wuebker worked with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to conduct interviews all over the country after identifying a suspect who was living in Georgia, James David Bachmurski, Sr, and finding evidence linking him to Jade. Bachmurski had moved from Winneshiek County and left behind a cell phone that was recovered during the investigation. Information from that cell phone put Jade at Bachmurski’s home and provided photos and text messages that showed her last few days were spent with Bachmurski. Deputy Wuebker did not just organize and analyze a tremendous amount of information to make the case against Bachmurski. He also connected with Jade’s family members, who were spread across the country, doing so even before charges were filed and keeping them updated on the status of the case. His communication with the family facilitated not only their cooperation, but also their commitment to pursuing justice for Jade.

Deputy Erin Bennett, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office; Special Agent Holly Witt, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation; Sarah Harms, Statewide Prosecutions Section, Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Deputy Bennett and Special Agent Witt receive the Law Enforcement Victim Services Award and Harms receives the Award for Victim Services for their work leading to the successful arrest of two predatory criminals alleged to have sexually abused a vulnerable young girl over a period of time.

Deputy Bennett began investigating when the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a report that a vulnerable 18-year-old girl was being sexually abused. When she asked the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation to assist, Special Agent Witt joined the investigation. Over several months, they built a case while building a close rapport with the victim. As a result of their work, the mother and mother’s boyfriend were arrested and charged with Human Trafficking, Kidnapping in the First Degree, Sex Abuse in the Second Degree, and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. Harms was assigned as the victim-witness coordinator on the criminal case and immediately began supporting the victim and providing her with necessary resources.

When the victim signed herself out of the out-of-state residential facility where she had been placed, the team became concerned that she was again being victimized. They contacted local law enforcement while Harms travelled to the victim’s location. Thanks to their strong relationship with the victim, they were able to assist the local law-enforcement officers with calming and reassuring her while they arrested the man with whom she was found, and Harms remained on the phone with the victim for the duration of her trip to the site. Harms then accompanied the victim to a local hospital to support her during a sexual-abuse exam, and Special Agent Witt travelled to pick up the victim from the hospital to transport her personally to Des Moines (and stay with her overnight) so the victim would not have to suffer yet another lengthy, traumatic interaction with a stranger. Harms, Deputy Bennett, Special Agent Witt, continue to make sure the victim is getting the services and resources she needs while the criminal cases against those accused of abusing her are pending.

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