• An area high school student was charged with 12 felony counts last Wednesday, including sexual assault and bomb scares
• The student allegedly used Facebook to coerce male students into performing sexual acts
• At least 31 students sent nude pictures and videos of themselves as the defendant posed as a female high school student on Facebook
• Victims came forward after a bomb threat in November

A New Berlin Eisenhower High School student was charged with multiple accounts of sexual assault last Wednesday, allegedly using Facebook to blackmail schoolmates into performing sexual acts.

The defendant, Anthony Stancl, 18, has 12 felony charges against him, including bomb threats, possession of child pornography, child enticement, third-degree sexual assault and second-degree sexual assault of a child from spring 2008 to his arrest in November, according to a criminal complaint.

Stancl posed as a female high school student on Facebook and convinced at least 31 male students to send him nude pictures of themselves. He then threatened some of the boys that the pictures would be distributed to high school classmates and on the Internet unless they performed sexual acts.

The complaint stated that forensic computer examination revealed about 300 nude images of juvenile male students that authorities identified as specific New Berlin Eisenhower students. It included accounts of seven boys, ages 15 to 17, who were forced into performing sexual acts. Reports in the complaint also said some sexual acts were recorded on Stancl's cell phone.

In some cases, Stancl used actual female high school students' identities without permission, according to prosecuting attorney Brad Schimel.

Schimel said he could not comment on the nature of the case, but said he has dealt with many cases where sex offenders utilize social networking Web sites like Facebook. He said both would-be and convicted sex offenders turn to social networking sites to coerce victims.

"We need to stand to place a greater value on our personal privacy," Schimel said.

It's impossible for large social networking Web sites to verify users' true identities, he said. He doubts new laws and regulations because he said it's difficult to craft a law regulating such sites without impairing freedom of speech.

According to the complaint, the sexual assaults occurred at city parks, in a high school restroom and parking lot, a New Berlin Public Library restroom and at some of the victims' homes.

Stancl was arrested when authorities found an e-mail bomb threat sent from a New Berlin Public Library computer.

Victims came forward after authorities tied Stancl to the bomb threat.

New Berlin Police Lt. Mike Glider said the police department cannot provide a detailed comment about the case because it is in the hands of the district attorney.

"It's still ongoing," Glider said. "We're waiting for more victims to possibly come forward."

New Berlin Superintendent Paul Kreutzer said the school closed Nov. 14 due to the threat. He said Stancl's actions shocked the school and community.

"There was a period of disbelief," Kreutzer said. "But now we're basically back to our normal routine."

He said social networking Web sites have been completely filtered on school computers. New Berlin High School is normally a quiet high school with almost no fights; most of the crimes are drug-related, he said.

To help students cope with the situation, Kreutzer said he advises students to communicate with trusted adults, including parents and guidance counselors.

He said there have been different briefings advising teachers on how to handle the situation to help carry on a normal school day.

"We're not ignoring the elephant in the room," Kreutzer said. "But at the same time, we're not putting it in the center of the circus either."

Stancl's preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 26.