Leader Staff
A Shawano man who allegedly arranged a sexual rendezvous with what he believed was a 15-year-old girl made his initial appearance Monday in court.
Eugene J. Giesler, 27, could face a maximum 40 years in prison and $100,000 fine if convicted.
Shawano County sheriff’s detectives, posing on the Internet as a 15-year-old girl, responded to an online ad placed by Giesler, according to the criminal complaint.
Text messages, in which the supposed girl made it clear she was 15 years old, were exchanged and turned sexually graphic in nature, according to the complaint.
Giesler allegedly set up two meetings with the girl, but did not show up, according to the complaint. On Friday, however, while detectives were working another sex sting operation, Giesler re-initiated contact and set up a meeting for that night.
Giesler arrived at 9:20 p.m. and was arrested without incident, less than an hour and a half after Nicholas R. Bennett was arrested in the other sting operation.
Giesler allegedly arrived with a bag of alcohol and condoms, according to the complaint.
Giesler was ordered held on a $5,000 cash bond after his appearance Monday in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court. He is scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance on Oct. 28.