students into sexual acts with him in 2008, was sentenced to 15 years
in prison and another 13 years of extended supervision Wednesday.
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
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
“I put you through a terrible situation,” he said.
District Attorney
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
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 baby sitter.
Davis said that it would be a mistake to put too much weight on the psychologists’ prediction of whether Stancl would reoffend.
“I don’t know,” he said. “No one knows.”
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.
Stancl’s uncle,
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.
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 and was convicted
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
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.
Stancl was arrested in November as the result of an
investigation that started with school bomb threats traced to an e-mail
sent from a
when he was logged on. In the follow-up, one of Stancl’s victims came
forward, first to his parents and then police, about the sexual
assaults.
The case attracted national media attention at a
time when evidence of “sexting” and related criminal charges is
becoming more commonplace and a greater cause for parental concern
across the country. “Sexting” refers to sending sexually explicit
messages electronically, most often by cell phone but also on social
networking sites.
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.
—
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