Date: 1/20/2009
By GRETCHEN EHLKE
Associated Press Writer
MILWAUKEE (AP) — The mayor of Racine, Wis., resigned on Tuesday, days after being accused of trying to arrange a sexual encounter with someone he thought was an underage girl.
Mayor Gary Becker resigned, effective 5 p.m. Tuesday, in a one-sentence letter that made no reference to the six felonies he faces.
His attorney, Patrick Cafferty, said Becker decided to resign because “it was in the best interest of everyone involved.” He said his client intends to plead not guilty to all charges during a Feb. 10 arraignment in Racine County Circuit Court.
The City Council had planned to meet Tuesday night to begin the process of removing Becker from office in Racine, about 20 miles south of Milwaukee. Instead, the council’s president, David Maack, said it will meet soon to decide whether to hold a special election or appoint someone to serve as mayor for the roughly two years left in Becker’s term.
“I think it will allow us to move forward as a city and a council. We won’t have this whole removal process hanging over our heads,” said Maack, who had called for Becker’s resignation.
Becker, 51, was arrested Jan. 13 at a suburban Milwaukee mall following a two-week investigation by the state Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation. After chatting online with a state agent posing as a 14-year-old girl, Becker went to the mall to meet the girl and buy lingerie for her, according to a criminal complaint.
During the chat, he offered to take her to a hotel to “have lots of fun,” the complaint said.
The investigation started last month after Becker asked city workers to help him fix a problem with his personal computer. Police said the computer technician found six pornographic images of what appeared to be underage females and alerted authorities. Police passed the case on to state investigators to avoid a conflict of interest.
Investigators who searched Becker’s computer found records of 1,800 sexually explicit chats, District Attorney Michael Nieskes said.
Becker, who is married and has two children, is charged with attempted second-degree sexual assault of a child under 16, possession of child pornography, child enticement, use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, attempt exposing a child to harmful material and misconduct in office. The charges carry a maximum penalty of more than 114 years in prison and $370,000 in fines.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
Summary
Mayor accused in sex sting to skip inauguration
Date: 1/17/2009
RACINE, Wis. (AP) — Racine Mayor Gary Becker’s plans to attend Tuesday’s inauguration have been canceled after he was charged in an Internet sex sting.
Becker had planned to attend a U.S. Conference of Mayors event in Washington over the weekend and then stay for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.
But that was before he was arrested Tuesday night at a suburban Milwaukee shopping mall. Authorities said he went there to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl but actually was a state agent.
A criminal complaint filed against him Thursday included sexually explicit chats he had with the other person. He faces six felony charges and has been freed on $165,000 cash bond.
Becker’s defense attorney did not return a message left Thursday seeking comment on the charges.
City Administrator Ben Hughes said canceling Becker’s airline ticket and a four-night stay in an expensive D.C. hotel will cost the city hundreds of dollars. He said city officials learned this week that Becker chose the most expensive of three options — at $550 a night — when booking hotel accommodations.
The money for three nights will be refunded, and Midwest Airlines agreed to allow the city to use Becker’s $400 ticket for another official’s travel in the next 12 months, Hughes said.
The city also has removed Becker’s picture that had greeted visitors to the Racine Web site.
“With everything going on I felt it was not appropriate for his picture and his welcome to remain on the Web site,” said City Council President David Maack on Friday. Maack is serving as acting mayor.
Top city officials are planning to discuss Tuesday removing Becker from office if he does not resign.
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Information from: The Journal Times, http://www.journaltimes.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
RACINE, Wis. (AP) — Racine Mayor Gary Becker’s plans to attend Tuesday’s inauguration have been canceled after he was charged in an Internet sex sting.
Becker had planned to attend a U.S. Conference of Mayors event in Washington over the weekend and then stay for the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.
But that was before he was arrested Tuesday night at a suburban Milwaukee shopping mall. Authorities said he went there to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl but actually was a state agent.
A criminal complaint filed against him Thursday included sexually explicit chats he had with the other person. He faces six felony charges and has been freed on $165,000 cash bond.
Becker’s defense attorney did not return a message left Thursday seeking comment on the charges.
City Administrator Ben Hughes said canceling Becker’s airline ticket and a four-night stay in an expensive D.C. hotel will cost the city hundreds of dollars. He said city officials learned this week that Becker chose the most expensive of three options — at $550 a night — when booking hotel accommodations.
The money for three nights will be refunded, and Midwest Airlines agreed to allow the city to use Becker’s $400 ticket for another official’s travel in the next 12 months, Hughes said.
The city also has removed Becker’s picture that had greeted visitors to the Racine Web site.
“With everything going on I felt it was not appropriate for his picture and his welcome to remain on the Web site,” said City Council President David Maack on Friday. Maack is serving as acting mayor.
Top city officials are planning to discuss Tuesday removing Becker from office if he does not resign.
___
Information from: The Journal Times, http://www.journaltimes.com
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
