Brigitte Van NiceGRUNDY CENTER (KWWL) -
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation say they arrested the Grundy County Deputy Clerk of Court for allegedly falsifying a same-sex marriage.
Brigitte Van Nice, 42, of Grundy Center, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with two counts of forgery and one count of perjury.
The DCI says Van Nice was contacted in 2011 by two men from Florida who wanted to take advantage of Iowa's same-sex marriage law.
The continued to contact Van Nice into 2012 and eventually Van Nice filed a marriage license saying the men were married in Waterloo on February 14 even though the men never came to Iowa.
According to the criminal complaint, Van Nice was ordained through a website and said that she performed the ceremony after meeting the men at a Waterloo truck stop. The marriage license was signed by two witnesses that Van Nice says the men lined up.
The DCI says their investigation found that Van Nice had actually signed the witnesses names without their permission.
The DCI says Van Nice was paid $150 for her services.
Van Nice was booked into the Grundy County Jail on Wednesday. She posted bond and was released. She has been placed on paid administrative leave.
Her initial court appearance is set for October 22.
The case will be referred to the Marshall County Attorney's Office to avoid any conflict of interest.
