CANTON, Conn. (AP) – An Illinois man is charged with sexual assault and other offenses after flying to Connecticut to allegedly meet a 15-year-old girl he met over the Internet, police said.
Karl Uebel, 24, of Big Rock, Ill., appeared in court Monday on charges of second-degree sexual assault, promoting a minor in an obscene performance, use of a computer to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and risk of injury to a minor.
He was arrested Friday when someone called police after seeing Uebel and the teenager in a parked car at the Canton library, Canton police Sgt. Kevin Witkos said.
“In this case, this astute citizen probably prevented something that could have been tragic,” Witkos said.
Police did not say what the citizen saw that sparked a call to police.
Police said Uebel met the girl in May over the Internet and talked to her by telephone and e-mail. He flew to Connecticut the day after Christmas as a present, Witkos said, knowing the girl was 15.
Uebel’s mother, Deborah Uebel, told The Hartford Courant she didn’t believe her son was guilty.
“I don’t believe these charges because that isn’t my son,” she said. “My son wouldn’t go after a minor.”
The family’s attorney, Vince Solano, said Uebel comes from a good family.
“All I can say is it wasn’t a police sting situation, so I don’t know what the messages were back and forth,” he said.
Uebel is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 6.
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