Teen’s fake posts lead to assault charges

When Wisconsin teenager, Anthony Stancl, was 13, he was found delinquent of sexual assault of a three-year-old child he was babysitting. Four years later, he came up with a new way to get young boys to have sex with him.

Stancl

Stancl created a fake profile on Facebook posing as Kayla, a girl. He persuaded 31 boys to send him naked pictures of themselves. He then used the photos as blackmail against the boys. He threatened to release the pictures they sent him to the whole school unless they agreed to perform sex acts with him. His trick worked on seven of the boys, ages 15 to 17.

One of his victims told his parents about the sexual assault and then the police. Stancl was charged with 12 felony counts including possession of child pornography, sexual assault and child enticement. In December, 2009, he pleaded no contest [treated the same as a guilty plea] to two sexual assaults counts and the remaining charges were dismissed. He was facing 30 years in prison and 20 years of extended supervision.

In February, 2010, Stancl was sentenced to 15 years in prison and an additional 13 years of supervision following his prison term. The state asked for a lengthy term of incarceration against the now 19-year-old while Stancl’s attorney argued for five years. He said that his crimes stemmed from his internal struggles with his homosexuality and that he was “outed” by an older boy at school.

At sentencing, Stancl apologized to his victims and their families. He also included his own brother and sister who, as students at the same school, were subjected to taunts and ridicule by others.