Anthony R. Stancl

UPDATE, February 24, 2010: Stancl gets 15 years in prison in Facebook coercion case
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UPDATE, December 22, 2009: Anthony Stancl - GUILTY, 2 counts sexual assault
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Waukesha County Sheriff's booking mug of Anthony R. Stancl


Tony Stancl, Election Night 2008

Anthony R. Stancl, an 18-year-old New Berlin Eisenhower High School student was arrested last November as a result of an investigation into bomb threats made to the school.

According to police, the student admitted his involvement in an e-mail bomb threat that was made Thursday, Nov. 13.

Police released him on his own recognizance Friday because they do not believe he poses a credible threat, however, police may refer him to the Waukesha County District Attorney's Office to face charges of making a bomb threat.

Video from FOX 6:

Today, Anthony Stancl was charged. The case involves much more than bomb threats. From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Describing a pattern of manipulation and deception using the social networking site Facebook, the Waukesha County district attorney today announced sexual assault charges against a New Berlin Eisenhower student who authorities say coerced male students into sexual encounters. Anthony R. Stancl, 18, posing as a female on Facebook, coerced at 31 boys to send him naked pictures and then blackmailed some of the boys into performing sex acts under the threat that the pictures would be released to the rest of the high school. At least seven boys were forced into performing sex acts. The males range in age 13 to 19. The youngest sexual assault victim is 15. The investigation into Stancl began after bomb threats on Nov. 12 and Nov. 13 led to the closure of Eisenhower Middle and High School on Nov 18. The resulting investigation turned up computer evidence that Stancl had posed as a female on Facebook and persuaded male students to e-mail nude photographs. According to District Attorney Brad Schimel, Stancl then used the photos as blackmail for sexual encounters. A criminal complaint filed today charges Stancl with the bomb threats plus repeated sexual assault of same child (at least three violations of first or second degree sexual assault), possession of child pornography, second and third degree sexual assaults and child enticement.

More. From 620 WTMJ, Dan O'Donnell writes:

Anthony Stancl, 18, is charged with five counts of child enticement, two counts of second degree sexual assault, two counts of third degree sexual assault, possession of child pornography, the repeated sexual assault of the same child, and making a bomb threat. "Mr. Stancl used the internet to first communicate with people on Facebook, pretending to be a female," said Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel. "After some conversations with these individuals, he would eventually coax them into providing him with nude photographs of themselves in exchange for what they thought was nude photographs of the girl they were talking with. "It wasn't a girl, it was Anthony Stancl." He allegedly exchanged pictures with at least 31 teenaged boys, and Stancl then tried to blackmail or extort half of them into meeting him for sex acts. "They were coerced into acts they didn't wish to be involved in," Schimel said. "Stancl told them that if they didn't he would show the pictures to all of their friends. "All told, there were approximately 300 photographs of known New Berlin high school students. There were over 600 other movies that were commercially produced child pornography videos that had been downloaded off the internet."

Here's video of the news conference announcing the charges, from 620 WTMJ. Sometimes I feel like I've become desensitized to stories about creeps and perverts. There are so many that they fail to shock me. They always disgust me, but I'm not shocked. The story of Anthony Stancl's alleged activities is shocking. The way he allegedly preyed on classmates, the blackmail, the deceit... it's nauseating. Just yesterday, AP reported:

About 90,000 sex offenders have been identified and removed from the social networking Web site MySpace, company and law enforcement officials said Tuesday. The number was nearly double what MySpace officials originally estimated last year, said North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, who along with Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has led efforts to make social networking Web sites safer for young users. Cooper said he wasn't surprised by the updated numbers, and demanded that MySpace and rival online networking site Facebook — which claim to have more than 280 million users combined — do more to protect children and teenagers. "These sites were created for young people to communicate with each other. Predators are going to troll in these areas where they know children are going to be," Cooper said. "That's why these social networking sites have the responsibility to make their sites safe for children." The attorneys general received agreements last year from MySpace and Facebook to push toward making their sites safer. Both sites implemented dozens of safeguards, including finding better ways to verify user's ages, banning convicted sex offenders from using the sites and limiting the ability of older users to search members under 18.

MySpace and Facebook need to monitor their sites and should have safeguards to protect their users. That said, users need to use their heads. Parents need to educate their children about inappropriate and dangerous Internet behavior. It's horrible that the victims in the New Berlin case willingly gave Stancl nude photos of themselves. DON'T DO THAT. I don't mean to blame the victims. They aren't the bad guys. Stancl is the alleged sexual offender here. I merely am pointing out that kids need to understand just how risky such online behavior is. There are so many sexual predators on the Internet. Facebook and MySpace are their personal playgrounds. It appears that Stancl was very good at playing the game on Facebook, allegedly. If not for being busted on the bomb threats, how many more classmates and others would Stancl have victimized, allegedly? Thank God he tripped up by making those threats. ___________________ Anthony Stancl wasn't a failing student. He made the Honor Roll 2007-2008. Here's his profile on Spock, written when he was sixteen. Stancl writes:

Some people consider me rich but i dont like that saying, i prefer "financially fortunate" lol

He was very active in Barack Obama's campaign. Read his blog, on Obama's campaign website, "Barack Obama and Joe Biden: The Change We Need." Stancl introduces himself to the Obama community here.

Time to Join Together in New Berlin By Tony Stancl - Jul 2nd, 2008 at 9:28 pm EDT First of all, I'd like to introduce myself to you. My name is Tony Stancl and I am supporting Barack Obama for President in 2008. I currently reside here in New Berlin and have grown up here as well. Just thought I would throw this out here right now and mention to you that I am still in high school and currently attend New Berlin Eisenhower. I am going to be senior this coming school year but I, surprisingly for my age, am very active with politics and pay close attention to politics as well. This election will be the first time that I am eligible to vote and I am proud to say that I am going to vote for Barack Obama for President. Now that you know a little bit about me, it is time to get down to business. As many of you may know, New Berlin, along with Waukesha County, is mainly a republic city. The time has come that we join together and help turn this area a little more "blue" instead of "red". I created this group so that the people of New Berlin can work together and help get Barack Obama elected as our next President of the United States. After a long primary season, we now know that Barack Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee and it is time that we do all that we can to help turn New Berlin into a more democratic city so that we can make sure that Wisconsin can still stay blue state. I hope that I can gather enough support from those in New Berlin to help me campaign here for Barack Obama. I believe that if we worked together that we would be able to help turn those that are undecided about who to vote for, and even those that are Republican but are a bit iffy with their nominee, to change their mind and vote for Barack Obama. We have suffered enough with the politics of our current president and the current Republican nominee is not very different from our president. We do not need another presidency that is similiar to the current one and Barack Obama is the only one that promises a change in our ways of politics. Thanks for taking your time to read this and hope to see you out there helping me gather support for Barack Obama. - Tony Stancl

Another post:

My First House Party I Attended - Franklin By Tony Stancl - Jul 25th, 2008 at 9:49 am EDT The first house party that I attended was on Tuesday the 22nd. It was in Franklin and I was personally invited to it since I started the New Berlin for Barack Obama group. I arrived at the house in Franklin abot 15 minutes early. There was only one other car there so I decided to wait since the people in the other car were in their car as well. Eventually, another car pulled up and they went right into the house. I got out of my car and approached the other car that still had people in it and thought I'd introduce myself since I figured they were there for the same reason I was. It turns out that the lady that was driving is running for Congress. We went into the house together and were greeted warmly by the host of the party and the two people that worked for the campaign (Katy and Bethany, sorry if I spelled their name incorrectly). A few more people trickled in and we sat down in the main room of the house to begin. Let me back up a little bit first. I talked with the guy that invited me to the house party and he is a very nice man. He was glad to see me there and I was glad to be there as well. I also talked to this other lady that turns out to be the aunt of one of my classmates that I grew up with! I was very surprised to meet someone that I had some sort of connection to but I guess the world isn't that big after all. Well back to the party, we started the meeting by Bethany and Katy introducing themselves and telling us what the purpose for the night was. They both shared their stories which I was very happy that they did because it made me feel much better about sharing my story. We went around the room sharing each others stories and I was very excited to hear what other people had to say. Then it was my turn and I was a bit nervous but I had an idea about what I was going to say. I told them my first experience in any campaign (which was 4 years ago) and I told them a funny story about how I made my dad take me down to the Kerry HQ in Waukesha and get signs that I could put up in my bedroom window since my parent's wouldn't let me put any in the yard since they didn't support him. I was only 13 or 14 back then and I already was paying attention to politcs! Well, the meeting went on and we talked about what we would like to see happen and I got some good ideas that I plan to share at the meeting in New Berlin. Overall my first house party that I attended went very well. I met a lot of interesting and nice people. I was welcomed warmly there by the host and the two ladies that work for the campaign. I felt comfortable sharing my story with complete strangers. And it was a very nice environment to be in. I was very happy that I had the opportunity to attend that house party and I plan on helping out in that area when I'm not doing work here in New Berlin. I also now plan on hosting my own house party sometime soon in New Berlin for all of you New Berlin people that I know will attend :D

He doesn't sound like a sexual predator and offender, does he? He can express himself quite well. He's politically involved. It doesn't seem like it could be the same person charged with "five counts of child enticement, two counts of second degree sexual assault, two counts of third degree sexual assault, possession of child pornography, the repeated sexual assault of the same child, and making a bomb threat," but it is. Posts by Stancl:

My First House Party I Attended - Franklin My First Weekend Volunteering Waukesha Location Grand Opening Time to Join Together in New Berlin

(Note: Anthony Stancl's posts have been deleted. Read Stancl's Obama blog here.) _____________ UPDATE: $250,000 bail ordered in 'horrific' New Berlin case

Anthony Stancl made his initial appearance in court this afternoon and was ordered held on $250,000 bail. "In this court's 7 1/2 years on the bench, this is the most horrific complaint the court has ever reviewed," Waukesha County Circuit Court Commissioner Laura Florian Lau said. "The defendant is facing 293 years if convicted on these 12 counts.  . . .  This is a crime allegedly that involved many, many, many victims. The court is extremely concerned as to whether defendant will return to court." As a condition of bail, Stancl cannot have access to any computers, cell phones or Internet capable devices. He also was ordered not to be on any school grounds, including school parking lots, and is prohibited from entering the New Berlin Public Library, where he is accused of using computers. Lau ordered him to have no contact with minors and no contact with any of his victims. During Stancl's court appearance, Schimel said that in the days prior to Stancl's arrest a victim told authorities that he found a note on the windshield of his vehicle, presumably from Stancl. The note said, "I know what you told police." It included statements that "this wasn't going to end up well as a result of that," Schimel said. ...[Stancl's attorney, Craig M. Kuhary,] said that Stancl has been expelled from New Berlin Eisenhower High School. After the hearing, Kuhary declined to comment to the media, except to say that so far only one side of the case has been disclosed. A preliminary hearing for Stancl has been scheduled for Feb. 26.

____________________ Related posts: Anthony Stancl Leaves an E-Trail Anthony Stancl's Obama Blog Paul Kreutzer: "Everybody's from Eisenhower" ____________________ February 11, 2009, New York Times: Sex Predator Accusations Shake a Wisconsin Town