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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 1995)
Internet meeting results in sexual assault charges By Jeff Zeleny Senior Reporter An Iowa State University graduate student was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree sexual assault on a 14-year-old boy he met through the Internet. David A. Stopp of Ames, Iowa, was arrested early Saturday morning near the Slate Capitol in Lincoln. Stopp, 39, had been chatting with the 14-year-old boy on a computer net work bulletin board since August, said Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Jodi Nelson. Sexual relations between the two males began in September and contin ued until Nov. 18, one week before Stopp was arrested, Nelson said. Lincoln police Sgt. Ann Heermann said officers learned about the inci dent early Saturday morning when the boy was roaming the streets near the State Capitol. An officer took the boy to his south Lincoln home, Heermann said, and along the way the boy told the officer about the alleged sexual contact. The case is the first involving the Internet and an alleged sex crime in Lancaster County, Nelson said. Simi lar cases are gaining attention nation wide and prompting a congressional debate over regulating the Internet. “I don’t know that you blame the Internet or blame technology. People arc going to meet,” Nelson said. “But it certainly opens up yet another way of getting in contact with one another.” Nelson said the Internet issue would not play a significant role in the case but acknowledged the computer net work has the potential to be a danger ous forum. Stopp is a first-year psychology graduate student at Iowa State, ac cording to the ISU admissions office in Ames. Lincoln attorney Andy Strotman said Stopp would plead not guilty to the charges. Stopp’s next court ap pearance is Dec. 4. Lincoln police reports indicate the sexual contact, which included anal and oral sex, was consensual. How ever, Nebraska statute prohibits sexual contact with a person under 16. Stopp and the Lincoln boy met each another in person in September, Nelson said. Stopp told police that since September, he and the boy have been friendly, but he denied any sexual contact. Stopp was arrested near 15th and G streets, an area that Nelson said is much like a gay red-light district. “There are a lot of homosexuals who pick people up there,” Nelson said. “It’s certainly an area that law enforcement and our office is familiar with.” Stopp is in Lincoln frequently, Nelson said, workingas a bartender in a downtown nightclub. He remained in the Lancaster County jail Monday night on $30,000 bond. Judge John Henvy ordered him to have no contact with children under 16. Prosecutors said the boy’s parents did not know their son was chatting with the Iowa man on the Internet. Nelson said she was unsure if the boy logged onto the computer from home or school. | 17th &N Street | No Appointments Necessary 476-9466s#gfg)r I I $6 OffljlPi I Oil Change Service S™* | with UNL student I.D. . Now only $19.70 (reg. $25.70) > Environmental disposal fee included ■ l* Oil & filter change (up to 5 qts) I | • Lubricate zerk fittings j» Check & fill fluids: brake, | power steering, battery, washeT, | and auto transmission fluid only | | • Check antifreeze, air filter, wiper i I blades, and tire pressure • Vacuum interior & wash windows Best Service in Just 10 Minutes. | Most brands available. Expires 12*31 *95 | \ Open Mon.-Fri., 8-6 • Sat 8- u International £>eadtrader The "Mafce Your Ovm" Tevielr'f c>tore W\ ? 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But National Weather Service fore caster Rick Chermok said the winter weather is not here to stay. “It doesn’t look like it’s here for good,” he said. “We will be going back to dry and warmer weather — warmer than normal anyway.” Lincoln topped out at 54 degrees Sunday — 10 degrees above normal. Thermometers failed to reach 30 de grees Monday afternoon as strong north winds held wind chill readings below zero. -Lincoln police radios were abuzz all day about the icy conditions as officers around town called for tow trucks and spoke of accidents, ve hicles in ditches and rollovers. Police reported 37 traffic accidents between 6 a.m. and 1:30 p.m because of the icy roads. Six of those accidents resulted in minor injuries. Chermok said temperatures would reach the 30s Tuesday and, if the snow cover disappears, could hit the lower 50s as the first weekend of December .rolls around. Get Real. Get UNL. And Save. (as in not being of a fictitious nature, that kind of thing) m :***•• ' (as in the fine University of Nebraska here at Lincoln) (as in the savings you will get from using your UNL ID at these fine locations) A fat wallet is a happy wallet Look into our store for tke. unusual! ^ ^ -Candles -Jewelry yC AX f* . )L -Incense -Adnlt Gifts J ' T-Shu^^^wta^t^^Vinrds inumors 4UflHltt|4k ^ SPKWLTYWTS ~k 201 C-apHal Beach Blvd. (on West "O" Sfc) I438r3344, HOURSJVlon - Sat 6 am - 1 am & Sun 1:00pm F Large 1-topping Original __$6.99_ Medium 2-topping OriginaT and 2 sodas $599 f he^HUSKER SOLO7 "■ 10' Small and a soda $4.49 ■ 99* Breadsticks w/Pizza order _ and UNL Student ID j Cable Continued from Page 1 Ron Kurtenbach, who hosts his own show on public access, said Johanns was manipulating Lincoln residents and council members by making them fear public access and community ac cess would be el iminated in the future. He said Johanns was serving the interests of CableVision, not the pub lic. Kurtenbach and another public ac cess programmer also complained that they had to choose between airing their shows on public access or com munity access. Rick Kiolbasa, CableVision direc tor of human resources and public relations, was the only person to speak in favor of Johanns’ proposal. He said CableVision should re quire programmers to choose between public or community access. CableVision does not carry two CNNs or two ESPNs, he said. “Why should we have duplication of access programs?” he said. In his defense of Johanns’ pro posal, Kiolbasa argued that public access has existed for 15 years and has; not worked. “If it worked well,” he said, “we: wouldn’t be here tonight” In other action, the council voted! 6-0 to delay a vote until Dec. 4 on* items relating to the University Foundation’s planned technology' park. Demer Continued from Page 1 interest in agriculture or agriculture related industries.” Demer’s position has its price. Because he will be on the road for most of the year, he cannot attend classes during the 1996 spring and fall semesters. But he doesn’t mind. “I think it’s worth it in terms of experience,” Derner said. The newly elected president said he was excited to begin. “There are a lot of things I want to accomplish,” he said. “This is one of the greatest opportunities I’ve ever had a chance to fulfill.” American Heart Association Fighting Heart Disease and Stroke