Gary Becker Sentenced

Gary Becker, the former mayor of Racine was sentenced yesterday.

To say that Becker engaged in truly disgusting behavior is an understatement.

Here are some details.

Because his crimes were so serious and of such a disturbing nature, I was surprised that he received such a light sentence.

From The Journal Times:

If it wasn't for hot pink bras and black sequined panties, Gary Becker would probably have walked out of the Racine County Law Enforcement Center facing several years of probation.

But because the former mayor went to Boston Store and bought nine items of lingerie and a candy bar, he went to prison instead.

Racine County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Simanek said Wednesday that he was prepared to give Becker probation, until he received information about the Feb. 16 lingerie purchase.

Instead, Simanek sentenced Becker to three years in prison and five years extended supervision for attempted sexual assault of a child and child enticement. He was handcuffed as the sentencing came to a close, and immediately taken into custody.

I'm stunned that Simanek was prepared to give Becker probation.

Read the Criminal Complaint. It includes the transcript of an online chat that Becker had with "hope ulikeme14." He thought he was chatting with a 14-year-old girl. Actually, he was interacting with Agent Eric Szatkowski of the Wisconsin Department of Justice/Division of Criminal Investigation.

Here's a summary of the complaint.

Reading the chat transcript will make your skin crawl.

Becker not only chatted in a sexual manner with "hope ulikeme14," he went to meet the person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl at Brookfield Square.

This is really sick, sick stuff.

Question: Given all that, how in hell was Judge Stephen Simanek about to let Becker off with no prison time?

That is unfathomable.

Probation? PROBATION???

Absolutely unbelievable.

Becker pleaded guilty to crimes against a CHILD and Simanek wasn't even going to give him a slap on the wrist.

What is Simanek's problem?

Back to Becker's pre-sentencing shopping trip --

A clerk at the store reported Becker had been in the store, and spent some time perusing the racks before purchasing the items with a personal credit card.

District Attorney Mike Nieskes displayed a foam board covered with duplicate items of lingerie at the sentencing. The state decried Becker's purchase, saying he was buying underwear more appropriate for a teenager than an adult woman.

The defense tried to explain it, saying he is dating a 46-year-old woman, and giving her height and weight.

"If you're sexually sober I submit you're not buying lingerie for another female," said Assistant District Attorney Robert Repischak.

He said what particularly concerned him was that nobody knew the girlfriend existed.

"Had we not known he went to the Boston Store to purchase lingerie, had we not known that, this woman would have been a persona non grata," Repischak said. "She would have been completely off the radar from anybody. If she's off the radar, I don't know what else is off the radar."

The judge said Becker's lingerie purchase clearly indicated he needed more intensive treatment.

"I can fairly say until this came to light I would have taken a chance on Mr. Becker," Simanek said. "I would have taken the risk of an imposed and stayed sentence with probation supervision. But I am convinced in light of what has recently happened that Mr. Becker needs continued rehabilitative treatment and that it can best be effectively provided in a confined setting."

Simanek said, "I would have taken the risk of an imposed and stayed sentence with probation supervision."

That would have been a terrible risk to take.

Thank God Becker went shopping at Boston Store. That little spree convinced Simanek that Becker required "a confined setting" to receive "rehabilitative treatment."

How could Simanek be so lax in his sentencing?

Becker is a sexual predator. He preys on CHILDREN.

The sentence he did receive, three years in prison and five years extended supervision, is woefully inadequate.

Just three years?

I think it would take a lot longer than that for Becker's "rehabilitation."

He had online extremely graphic sexual discussions with "hope ulikeme14."

Becker's crimes didn't just occur in cyberspace, in this often creepy virtual world. He actually went to meet up with a CHILD. He was expecting to meet a 14-year-old girl at Brookfield Square. Becker made clear what he wanted to do with the child.

Read the transcript of the chat Becker thought he was having with a 14-year-old girl and ask yourself if he deserves only three years in prison.

I do not know what Simanek was thinking.
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Video, from FOX 6 News.

 

Video, from the Associated Press.
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More details in ex-Racine mayor's sex sting case