A University of Wisconsin alum was arrested and charged Monday for using a computer to intentionally facilitate a child sex crime after undercover detectives executed a successful sting on the defendant.
The undercover operation was coordinated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Madison Police Department and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, according to a statement released by the Attorney General’s office.
Anthony Vanderscheuren, 23, was arrested at Elver Park as he attempted to meet with what he believed was a 15-year-old girl who he planned to engage in sexual acts with.
As Vanderscheuren exited his car for the planned rendezvous, he was contacted by Clark County Det. Jeffrey Baumgarten and City of Madison Police Det. Daniel Nale, who immediately took the suspect into custody.
The arrest was the culmination of a two-week long undercover operation in which Baumgarten posed as a 15-year-old female in an adult online chat room using Yahoo Messenger, according to the criminal complaint.
Using the name sunni–_15, Baumgarten reported he was first contacted by Vanderscheuren Sept. 2, 2009, under the pseudonym Damihibasia85, a Latin phrase meaning “give me a kiss,” according to the complaint.
After establishing their respective ages as 15 and 23, Baumgarten responded to a request from Damihibasia85 to share photographs using the Yahoo image exchange service and displayed an image of an underage female.
Damihibasia85 replied, “Nice, you’re really cute” and continued to reiterate his attraction several times during the conversation, according to the complaint.
Damihibasia85 also sent pictures of himself via e-mail as Baumgarten told him there were problems transferring the image via Yahoo Messenger.
Baumgarten then received an e-mail from “Anthony Paul Vanderscheuren” at the address [email protected]. Attached were four photos of the same male Baumgarten observed in the chat window, the complaint said.
The online exchange became more and more explicit as Damihibasia85 inquired into sunni_15’s sexual experiences and desires.
Saying her pictures turned him on, Damihibasia85 went on to list the things he would do to her when they met, including running his hand up her leg, approaching her genitals and squeezing her breasts and nipples.
In a separate conversation, Baumgarten asked if sunni_15 should tell her friend about the exchange. Damihibasia85 replied, “No, absolutely not,” followed with “unless you think she would want to get together and do physical things too.”
When Baumgarten asked if Damihibasia85 had told anyone, he replied “No, I’d get in big trouble” and “big time, I’d be a sex offender then.”
“The situation described in the criminal complaint is very serious, and we will work cooperatively with officials,” UW spokesperson Amy Toburen said.
Vanderscheuren is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 12 for an initial court conference, where he will decide whether to have a preliminary hearing or instead waive this right, according to Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard.
