Christopher enters not guilty plea

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

DAVENPORT - Former Challand Middle School teacher Charles Christopher pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two counts of soliciting sex from a minor using the Internet. Christopher, 28, of Rock Falls, was arrested Oct. 19, and charged with allegedly using a computer at the Sterling school in an attempt to persuade two young girls to agree to have sex with him. The "girls" actually were an undercover officer from Burlington, Iowa, conducting a child-predator sting.

Christopher, who is in jail awaiting trial, allegedly admitted to having similar sexual conversations with about 10 other girls over the Internet, according to testimony at his federal detention hearing.

The Challand physical education teacher, who also was head wrestling coach and assistant varsity baseball coach at Sterling High School, was fired shortly after his arrest.

He originally was charged in Whiteside County with multiple counts of soliciting sex with a 13- and an 11-year-old girl. Those charges were dropped in April when the federal charges were filed in U.S. District Court for Southern Iowa in Davenport.

Christopher faces five to 30 years on each count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activities. His trial tentatively is set for July 23.

He has been behind bars since April 25, at U.S. District Judge John Jarvey's order. The government's evidence is strong, especially given that Christopher allegedly sent a picture of himself to Burlington Detective Michael Swore, who was posing as the 13-year-old, Jarvey wrote in the order.

"When arrested, the defendant admitted his activity, but simply denied an intent to carry out his plan. The defendant's conduct was repeated and persistent with Detective Swore. He admitted contacting approximately 10 other girls. The fact that the defendant was on supervision at the time should not be overlooked," Jarvey wrote.

At the time of the alleged offenses, Christopher was under an Iowa court's supervision for driving while intoxicated, Jarvey noted.

At the detention hearing, Swore testified that, while posing as a 13-year-old named Ashley, he had more than 15 conversations with Christopher in a Yahoo! romance chat room.

"The conversations went beyond mere sexual banter. There were significant conversations in which plans were made to carry (out) a sexual relationship," Jarvey wrote.

In one case, Christopher allegedly set up a meeting with Ashley at 10 a.m. Aug. 3 at the Dairy Queen in Burlington. Police abandoned their surveillance at 11 am., and Christopher allegedly later stated he overslept because of a power outage and didn't arrive until 11:30 a.m. Swore confirmed storms in the area, Jarvey wrote.

On another occasion, Christopher allegedly suggested picking up the girl and taking her to a hotel while he was in Oelwein, Iowa, for a baby shower. Police later determined Christopher reportedly did attended such a shower.

"From this evidence, it is very difficult to say that the defendant was not prepared to carry out his scheme," Jarvey said in his order.

Christopher also was concerned he might actually be speaking with police, Swore testified. In one instance, Christopher allegedly asked Ashley why she was on the Internet during school hours and Swore, posing as the girl, stated a teacher had released her from class early. Christopher, posing as the boyfriend of Ashley's mother, sent an e-mail to a teacher Swore identified in the chat room, attempting to check up on the girl without her knowing about it, Jarvey wrote.

"It is obviously disturbing to learn that, at the time, the defendant was a middle school gym teacher at a public school in Illinois," Jarvey wrote.

Christopher's girlfriend also testified at the hearing that she had dropped Internet service at their home in an effort to stop Christopher from compulsively looking at pornography, Jarvey wrote.

Reach Jim Butts at (815) 284-2222 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 570.