Chain
February 2nd, 2006, 03:19 AM
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/local/13762283.htm
Rapist gets 10 years in plea bargainPleads guilty to sexual assaultBY NICKLAUS LOVELADYNews-DemocratA Collinsville man accused of raping two young girls he met over the Internet pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexual assault and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Under state law, Samuel Levitan, 22, must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. Levitan was accused of raping at least two young girls and holding three against their will in his home. He met all of the girls through Internet chat rooms.
Levitan was originally charged with at least two counts of sexual assault and three counts of unlawful restraint. As part of his plea bargain, Levitan pleaded guilty to only one of the sexual assault charges, Madison County State's Attorney spokesman Stephanie Smith said.
Levitan's predatory crime spree came to an end in August when a 15-year-old girl from St. Peters, Mo., told police Levitan raped her in his home the same day they met via the Internet.
The victim told police Levitan offered her a ride, then took her to his home at 8 Tiemann Drive in Collinsville, where he raped her.
After police released Levitan's photo, at least four other girls came forward or were tracked by police as connected to Levitan via the Internet.
One of the girls, a 15-year-old from Lebanon, told police she and her 16-year-old friend were both held in Levitan's garage in January 2005.
A Granite City woman told police that in September, Levitan raped her after she met him though an Internet chat room and agreed to meet with him in June.
Levitan's last charge came Sept. 20, when a 17-year-old Missouri woman told police she, too, met him on the Internet and agreed to meet with him in June.
On the way to Levitan's home, the woman said Levitan made sexual advances toward her. Levitan returned her to the mall where they met after she lied and told him her father was a police officer, police said.
Rapist gets 10 years in plea bargainPleads guilty to sexual assaultBY NICKLAUS LOVELADYNews-DemocratA Collinsville man accused of raping two young girls he met over the Internet pleaded guilty Tuesday to sexual assault and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Under state law, Samuel Levitan, 22, must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. Levitan was accused of raping at least two young girls and holding three against their will in his home. He met all of the girls through Internet chat rooms.
Levitan was originally charged with at least two counts of sexual assault and three counts of unlawful restraint. As part of his plea bargain, Levitan pleaded guilty to only one of the sexual assault charges, Madison County State's Attorney spokesman Stephanie Smith said.
Levitan's predatory crime spree came to an end in August when a 15-year-old girl from St. Peters, Mo., told police Levitan raped her in his home the same day they met via the Internet.
The victim told police Levitan offered her a ride, then took her to his home at 8 Tiemann Drive in Collinsville, where he raped her.
After police released Levitan's photo, at least four other girls came forward or were tracked by police as connected to Levitan via the Internet.
One of the girls, a 15-year-old from Lebanon, told police she and her 16-year-old friend were both held in Levitan's garage in January 2005.
A Granite City woman told police that in September, Levitan raped her after she met him though an Internet chat room and agreed to meet with him in June.
Levitan's last charge came Sept. 20, when a 17-year-old Missouri woman told police she, too, met him on the Internet and agreed to meet with him in June.
On the way to Levitan's home, the woman said Levitan made sexual advances toward her. Levitan returned her to the mall where they met after she lied and told him her father was a police officer, police said.