(05/16/08 – Initial BBT Report)
Sanford Kaplan, 57, a soccer coach at Northeast High School in Lincoln, Nebraska as well as a a youth soccer coach for the Capitol Soccer Association and an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has been arrested in connection with the alleged abuse of teenage boys.
Quoting from the Omaha World-Herald:
Six youths ages 13 to 15 have alleged that over the past seven years they were bound, gagged and blindfolded, then videotaped or photographed trying to escape, in a strange “rope trick” game Kaplan concocted for his sexual gratification.
Investigators say that Kaplan admitted to doing these things to several teenage boys in order to “fulfill a sexual need.”
According to sheriff’s officials, the events were “portrayed as a game,” and the boys were challenged to escape their bindings.
Investigators believe at least three more young men have been victims of similar treatment and are looking for other victims who have not yet come forward.
On Wednesday Kaplan was arrested on suspicion of 14 felony charges, including two of third-degree sexual assault, which alleges inappropriate sexual touching. However he was charged with only 7 felony counts consisting of six counts of child abuse and one count of false imprisonment.
Reportedly Kaplan no longer works as an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he has been suspended as a coach of select club teams for the Capital Soccer Association and his contract to coach boys soccer at Lincoln Northeast High School was not being renewed.
03/02/09 – No Contest Plea
Sanford Kaplan has reportedly pleaded no contest and was found guilty on seven counts of child abuse and one count of first-degree false imprisonment.
Sentencing is set for May 15.
Kaplan faces a maximum of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the eight counts and will be required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.
05/15/09 – Sentencing
Sanford Kaplan has been sentenced to prison for a term of from 8 to 24 years on seven counts of child abuse and one count of false imprisonment.
In addition to his prison sentence, Kaplan must also register as a sex offender.
References:
Kaplan Gets Prison for Child Abuse (05/15/09)
Ex-Lincoln soccer coach found guilty of child abuse (03/02/09)
Charges stun coach’s circle (05/16/08)
Court Documents Detail Extent of Lincoln Man’s Suspected Abuse (05/15/08)
Soccer coach faces 14 felony charges (05/15/08)
Lincoln soccer coach held in sex case (05/15/08)
Entries (RSS)
August 14th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Sorry–that last post was an accident.
I think people are viewing this in black and white, and it’s not that simple.
I do know that this man admitted to sexually touching one or two of the boys, and that is obviously wrong and should not have happened.
As for the rest of the charges, I just can’t jump on the bandwagon that wants to hang this guy. I mean, if I found out some guy had tied up my kid, I’d feel uneasy and might think the guy was potentially off-kilter. Or perhaps just seriously immature. But to bring charges? Seriously? That is considered child abuse, when the kids went along with it? From what I have read, he didn’t grab these kids by force and bind them, which would be pretty terrifying. So to view them getting tied up when they went along with it as child abuse—I just don’t know. I think anyone who grew up with an older brother went through MUCH worse things than an occasional hog-tying and none of us have prosecuted our siblings. All too often, someone says the word “child” and society over-reacts.
When my cousin was 16, we all went to the lake for his birthday. My uncle duct-taped him to a tree and we all threw water-balloons at him. He still laughs about it to this day. He wasn’t traumatized by it. Of course, this was back in the 80’s when we didn’t attach some sexual connotation to everyone’s actions. Now, my uncle would probably be in jail because some “concerned citizen” at the lake would call the cops.
The flip side to this is that much more abuse went unreported in the 80’s. But that doesn’t mean that going too far in the other direction will even things out.
There is an obvious difference in what my uncle did and what this professor did. My uncle tied my cousin to a tree out of silliness and this man was doing it for some darker inner desire.
But the remaining question is this: were the children tied up by the professor harmed any more than my cousin? The answer is probably “no”.
Considering that—does it really qualify as child abuse?
And since the children who were only tied (and not sexually touched) were probably not harmed by the professor, he’s basically being prosecuted for his thoughts.
His thoughts.
Seems like a scary path.
I read a poll that claims that 90 percent of the parents admit to spanking their children. But Kate Gosselin does it on a street corner and the media has a field day.
It doesn’t seem we’re using our best judgement lately.
In keeping with site policies as outlined in the “Comments” page the last name of the person purported to have left this comment has been altered to an initial only by the site moderator.
May 23rd, 2009 at 7:56 pm
T world is right, i have been told by Mental health professional’s men who violate
boys put them at a lower level than themselves, that is to say they like them young, hairless, very child like.
Men who violate young girls put them at the same level as themselves, that is to say they “convince” themselves the girls are mature as them, know what they are doing and are willing.
May 15th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Andy, of course you felt safe, you were too old for him!!! You actually were (nearly) a full grown man. You had as much as body hair as he did. Sing that song if you were 13, and I’d listen.
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I had this man as teacher at Southeast Community College twice, and never felt unsafe around him (i was ages 18 and 20 at the time). He never came across as anything other than nice, professional, and humorous. He taught exactly everything he new, and related it to current news. He inspired the best in you and was happy for you when you succeeded… I was thouroughly shocked.
May 17th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
It has been brought to our attention that this man allegedly hosted foreign exchange students. If you would like to share your experience, please contact the Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students http://www.csfes.org. Directly: Besafe@csfes.org. Thank you in advance for your time. Do not feel ashamed.