Cheyenne County faces poor track record on prosecuting sex crimes

I am going to make this blunt. The 25 year old who is facing felony sex-charges in connection with a sexual act with a 14 year old should get the book thrown at him. Who in their right mind thinks it is ok to participate in sexual intercourse with a girl who can't even go to her own prom yet?

Unfortunately, Cheyenne County courts have a bad history in the last five or so years with obtaining convictions with significant and appropriate punishments on these matters.

Everyone remembers Ritchie Thompsen, who got off with a relative slap on the wrist after having felony sexual contact with a very young girl (the daughter of his girlfriend at the time). And of course, perhaps the worst case was that of Todd Nienheuser, of the construction family name and nephew of City Councilman Mark Nienheuser, who managed to evade justice with 12 months and a reduction of a felony charge for having sexual relations with a then 15 year old boy, only to be found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Nienheuser, a teacher by training was not forced to give up his teaching certificate as a result of his conviction, allowing him to teach elsewhere at some point in the future. Tammy Nelsen, a long-time friend of his, offered her support more than a year ago, indicating that the victim in the Nienheuser case had believability problems.

While enough outrage remained two years later to unseat Christine Cecava from her position on the bench, the fact that such weak penalties for clearly over the line sexual conduct with children has been tolerated for too long.

Giving someone a warning or a slap on the wrist for a speeding ticket or a petty theft to teach them a lesson is one thing. Failing to hold perpetrators of sex crimes to account is a completely different matter altogether. Each of these three men stand some better than average chance of repeating their, "mistakes," in the future and the fruits of those mistakes will rest heavy on the judgement of the courts who lifted their burden of accountability.

I hope justice is served in this new case in Cheyenne County District court. If the accused is found guilty, he should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Charges should also follow for the friend of his victim who participated in the crime by allowing it to happen, unless she was the one who reported the offense.