Christopher wants federal solicitation charges dropped
BY TELEGRAPH STAFF
DAVENPORT, IOWA - Former Challand Middle School gym teacher Charles W. Christopher, charged in federal court with soliciting sex from a minor, has filed a motion to dismiss the charges.
Prosecutors have until Wednesday to respond; in the meantime, his trial was rescheduled from July 23 to Aug. 27.
Christopher, 28, of Rock Falls, pleaded not guilty in May to two counts of "attempting to entice a minor to engage in illicit sexual activities." He faces five to 30 years in prison on each count.
In his motion, Christopher's attorney, Leon Spies, contends that the federal indictment is too vague, because "illicit sexual activities" fails to specify what, if any, type of sexual crimes Christopher could be charged with.
Spies then cites at least nine Iowa state crimes with which Christopher could be charged, and says the indictment's "lack of specificity" violates Christopher's Sixth Amendment rights by failing to sufficiently inform him of the accusations against him.
According to investigators, in 16 conversations over six months, Christopher used a school computer to solicit sex from what he thought was 13-year-old girl and her 11-year-old friend. Instead, the former Sterling High School wrestling coach was talking to an undercover Burlington, Iowa, police officer conducting a sexual predator sting, investigators allege.
Christopher was arrested in October.
After conducting its own investigation, the Sterling School District fired him in December for immoral behavior.
