Anthony Stancl: 15 years

Anthony Stancl learned his fate yesterday.

He's going to prison for 15 years for the crimes he committed.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Anthony Stancl, who used the Facebook social networking site to deceive and coerce fellow New Berlin Eisenhower High School students into sexual acts with him in 2008, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and another 13 years of extended supervision Wednesday.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge J. Mac Davis imposed the sentence because he said Stancl had proven he was manipulative, excessively self-centered and could still be dangerous.

"I am afraid of what he can and might do," Davis said.

As outlined in the criminal complaint, Stancl, 19, of New Berlin, posed as a female on Facebook and persuaded at least 31 boys to send him naked pictures of themselves. He then used the pictures - and the threat of releasing them to the rest of the high school - to blackmail at least seven boys, ages 15 to 17, into performing sex acts.

Before the sentence was imposed, Stancl apologized to the victims and their families, the New Berlin School District, and his own family, especially a brother and sister who continued to attend New Berlin schools and faced what Stancl called a hostile environment.

"I put you through a terrible situation," he said.

District Attorney Brad Schimel asked for "substantial" prison time, without being specific. No victims spoke at the sentencing, but some had sent letters asking for substantial prison time. Some of the victims required hospitalization for suicidal thoughts, medication or have had to undergo therapy, Schimel said.

Defense attorney Craig Kuhary had suggested five years in prison and 10 years of supervision. He said that Stancl's crimes stemmed from his internal struggles with his homosexuality, especially after he was "outed" by an older boy with whom he had a sexual relationship in school.

"Once word got out that he was gay, everything shut down," Kuhary said. He went from being marginally popular as a member of the Academic Decathlon and golf teams to being isolated and feeling cornered.

Kuhary said that psychologists with long experience in testing for sexual deviancy concluded that Stancl was not a deviant, such as a pedophile. He said that while Stancl does need therapy and psychologists think he could be treated in the community, he deserves punishment for the harm he did to others.

Schimel said substantial prison time was needed because of the number of victims, the scheming nature of the crime and the impact on victims. He also said that the very nature of the crime - repeatedly coercing sex by extortion - was a pattern of deviant sexual behavior.

Schimel also cited a 2004 juvenile case in which Stancl, then 13, was found delinquent for sexual assault of a 3-year old in a home where he was a babysitter.

Who cares what some psychologists, alleged experts, concluded?

Stancl isn't a sexual deviant?

He certainly displayed sexual deviancy. If Stancl's behavior doesn't fall into a clinical definition of deviancy, then I think psychologists are working with inadequate categories. They need to establish one that fits Stancl's sexual abuse and perversion.

I don't buy the argument that Stancl himself was a victim. He was victimized by a society that doesn't accept homosexuals.

That's lame. Stancl wasn't driven by others to commit his crimes. He exercised his free will.

...Stancl, in the statement of apology he read, said he'd learned through the criminal case that what matters is how he treats others and what he thinks of himself.

He said he was working hard to treat others with respect, and he learned that there is nothing wrong with being different, whether dark-skinned or gay.

"I am determined to become once again a productive and law-abiding citizen," he said.

More victim drivel -- "dark-skinned or gay."

The president of the United States is "dark-skinned." Stancl was very involved in Obama's campaign. He celebrated Obama's victory on Election night. What's this "dark-skinned" crap?

Academically at least, Stancl is somewhat bright. We're to believe he just learned that there's nothing wrong with being different?

Oh, come on.

Stancl's uncle, Al Turk, from California spoke on behalf of the family saying his nephew and godson was loving, intelligent, athletic, a former altar boy and a technological whiz kid who worked at a software company while going to school and maintaining good grades.

"Like many young men his age, he's made a serious mistake," Turk said. Emphasizing his Catholic upbringing in a supportive and forgiving family, Turk said he remains a joy to his family who'll be there for him when his "penance" is served.

No, no, no.

Stancl is NOT like many young men his age. Thankfully, young men who make "serious mistakes" like Stancl are not common.

Stancl was initially charged with a dozen felonies, including repeated sexual assault of the same child, possession of child pornography, two counts each of second- and third-degree sexual assault, five counts of child enticement and one count of causing a bomb scare.

As part of a plea agreement, he pleaded no contest was convicted Dec. 22 of two felonies - repeated sexual assault of the same child and third-degree sexual assault. In exchange, 10 other felony counts were dismissed but considered in sentencing. He could have faced 30 years in prison and 20 years of extended supervision.

Davis banned Stancl from having any contact with the victims or their families, or the New Berlin School District, or any minors except with permission of his correctional supervisor. He must register as a sex offender and cannot use the Internet except with permission of his supervisor.

How is his use of the Internet going to be monitored?

That's silly.

...After the sentence was imposed, with Stancl taken immediately to prison, Schimel said outside the courtroom that he wasn't sure this case, with all its publicity, was getting through to kids because new cases of sexting have continued to occur.

"I'm just not sure they're hearing this message," he said. "I hope their parents are."

Parents need to keep an eye on what their children are doing in two different worlds, the real world and the virtual world, he said. Parents should take a good look at whether their children really need cell phones, or ones that take pictures, or text, he said.

I think it's important to remember that Stancl's case went well beyond sexting. Not to diminish the seriousness of that, but Stancl was convicted of sexual assault.

It's true that kids continue to do stupid and illegal things in cyberspace, in spite of these high profile stories.

Some haven't learned from Stancl's case. It's similar to drug use. A young person dies and others are scared away briefly, but soon return to the risky behavior.

Even when the consequences can be so dire, some kids, and adults as well, never learn.

About Stancl's sentence --

I think 15 years is appropriate. That's a significant amount of time lost. He'll be in his mid-30s when he gets out of prison. Stancl will be missing out on a lot.

2025.

Video, from FOX 6 News: