Former Racine, Wisconsin, mayor pleads not guilty in Internet sex sting bust
Lost his job. Busted for soliciting a minor via the Internet. Wife filed for divorce. More charges for possession of child porn. Not a good month for Mr. Becker.
Former Racine Mayor Gary Becker faces two more charges related to his arrest in an Internet sex sting and didn’t speak during a court hearing Tuesday. The court entered not guilty pleas on Becker’s behalf to eight felony charges after prosecutors announced that they were filing two new counts of possession of child pornography. Becker’s attorney, Patrick Cafferty, told The Associated Press he was told about the new charges earlier Tuesday before the afternoon arraignment and used a procedural rule of having Becker stand mute instead of responding to the charges. – From Chicago Tribune
Two more charges of possession of child pornography have been filed against former Racine Mayor Gary Becker. During an arraignment in Racine County Circuit Court Tuesday, Becker did not enter a plea. Instead, he allowed Judge Stephen Simanek to enter a not guilty plea to the charges, which include attempted sexual assault of a child, child enticement, using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, misconduct in public office, and now three counts of possession of child pornography. Becker is scheduled to return to court April 3rd for a pre-trial conference. – From Wisconsin Radio Network
Not guilty pleas were entered Tuesday on behalf of Gary Becker at the former Racine mayor’s arraignment on criminal charges stemming from an Internet sting investigation. As is done in some cases, Becker didn’t speak when asked to enter his pleas, so Racine County Circuit Judge Stephen Simanek entered the pleas for him. Becker, 51, had been charged with five felonies and a misdemeanor. But two more charges were entered Tuesday. He is accused of trying to arrange to have sex with a 14-year-old girl he thought he was corresponding with on the Internet. An undercover agent for the state actually was exchanging messages with him. – From Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
