(West Des Moines, Iowa) The City of West Des Moines has paid $450,000 to settle a complaint over a mistaken identity arrest.
West Des Moines is paying Matthew Rodrigues, who has agreed not to sue the city.
He was arrested in April on a sexual assault charge, and spent eleven days in the the Dallas County Jail, before the charge was dismissed.
Investigators determined Rodrigues was innocent and his arrest had been due to a case of mistaken identity.
Another man was later arrested in the case, Salvador Junior Pineda, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison.
The settlement was finalized in August, and was paid out through the city’s insurance policy.
City Attorney Dick Scieszinski provided the general release documents relating to the settlement after a request by Channel 13.