DOCUMENT: K-12, Sports, Crime

Wrestlers Busted For Locker Room Harassment

Cops: H.S. quartet tormented 15-year-old teammate

Wrestling

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H.S. Wrestlers Charged

MAY 27--A quartet of high school wrestlers from Wisconsin’s state championship team is facing criminal charges for allegedly sexually harassing a fellow grappler in the squad’s locker room.

A 15-year-old boy told cops about his Lincoln High School teammates “dancing around him while they are naked, swinging their penises at him,” according to a criminal complaint based on an investigation by Wisconsin Rapids Police Department officers.

The freshman wrestler told cops that he was harassed “about five to ten times” during the season, and that “during some of those occasions he was hit by each of their penises on his leg.” Additionally, he told of one incident in the shower when a teammate “placed his penis on [victim’s] butt.” The boy added that he “could not get away because he was boxed in by two other wrestlers.”

On another occasion, the victim said that he “had to climb into a locker” to prevent being hit in the face by the penis of another wrestler.

Investigators learned of the alleged harassment after the boy’s mother contacted the school’s principal to report that her son did not want to go to the team banquet “because of the sexual harassment he was receiving.”

Police interviewed six witnesses who confirmed aspects of the boy’s account of his abuse. As a result, the four wrestlers were charged this week with misdemeanor disorderly conduct, according to the complaint filed in Wood County Circuit Court.

The defendants are Zachary Benitz, 18; Kasey Einerson, 17; Rylan Lubeck, 17; and Devin Peterson, 17. Benitiz’s father is coach of the school’s wrestling team, which this year won its 20th team state championship. Benitz, Einerson, Lubeck, and Peterson are pictured, clockwise from upper left, in the above photos. (3 pages)

Comments (200)

OK, so you can ask anyone what happened or what they know and take their word for it. We can't read the paper and see it for ourselves. You're a complete moron. I live here in Wisc. Rapids too and know these kids. I am telling you, you can come off as being the nices of people to your friends and a complete bastard to those you want to pick on to prove what a big man you are. The idea of this poor kid poutting up with this I totally get. Why would he want to make waves and make everyone pick on him more. He was outnumbered and the coaches son happened to be one of them. Yeah, let's run and tell the coach his son is a pervert. That will get him far. Shame on us for harassing these kids? The same kids being charged as adults? SHAME ON YOU , for not standing up to someone who finally had enough. This is why rape victims don't report and why teens commit suicide. Nobody will believe them. I live in this messed up town and dont have the option of getting out. I DO NOT support the wrestlers or football players. It sickens me how they get pampered.
So you have known the 4 kids since they were in grade school too? And you know JK and have seen how he acts around the other wrestlers in and out of the locker room? Yeah didn't think you did..
Your kidding me right? "Ask anyone in the wrestling world and they know these 4", the 4 mentioned wrestlers have a combined 2 State Titles!!!! The only wrestler with a chance to wrestle in College is Peterson, for the rest they do not have JV wrestle in College. As for the rest of you that continue to post this is normal locker room activity. YOU ARE WRONG!!!! This may be normal in WR but no where else!!!!
Peterson has multipule national titles and so does Benitz. Lubeck was a Pan Am champion which is world stuff.. not national level but world level. I don't think that's JV level wrestling. And there everybody goes believing one side of the story... There is people that can vouch for the boys that really know what happened. I'm not going to say anything about JK, but I'm sure none of you know what he did in the locker room after practice.
So why do those 3 only have 1 State title then? Please, Please answer that question for me. TRUST me when I tell you that Benitz and Lubeck have NO chance at wrestling DI. DI schools have no interest in wrestlers that only skill is a russian tie or 2 on 1. How many WR high school wrestlers have done anything in college?? Why??? (Because of what they are taught at Rapids does not translate into college style wrestling) Lubeck has had success at Greco that does not translate to DI folkstyle!!!! JV wrestlers in College at best. I will be waiting for you response as to why 1 state title and why WR wresters do not translate into College wrestling, but again I already know the answer.
Alright here we go. You obviously are not from rapids because I can tell you know nothing about our program. To start off, the two runner ups that Lubeck has are too kids that are ranked very highly in the nation. Alex Deringer who happend to be ranked number one and is now wrestling at Oklahoma on a full ride and Jake Soufloan who I believe was ranked two in the nation at that time. He is now attending Nebraska, also on a full ride scholarship! Lubeck has beaten both of them through out the years! I'm not gonna talk about why Peterson doesn't have a state title because we all know how good he is. Don't keep Benitz and Einerson out of the picture for winning a state title next year! And there has been a lot of WR wrestlers that have gotten D1 offers in the past. Let me Name a few off for you since you obviously don't know any of them. Kevin Tritz got an offer to wrestle at Oklahoma. He wrestled off Bubba Jenkins for a spot on the team and beat him pretty soundly. I'm assuming you know who Bubba Jenkins is since you think you know a lot about wrestlers. Lets see, Josh Hansen, Josh Chappa, Vance Grube, Ben Best. These are just a few that I can name off the top of my head that got D1 offers. Hansen and Chappa both decided to wrestle D3 because they got better scholarship offers. Grube got a pretty respectable offer from Wisconsin as well as Best did from Minnesota. There are many reason why someone would not want to wrestle at a D1 level, if you were a well rounded individual with intrests beyond wrestling. You would understand that! I am friends with all of the above stated wrestlers as well as the boys being accused. I would be willing to bet that I know my facts about WR wrestlers better than anyone that has posted on here.
You spew nothing but garbage in your post, I know more then you think I know. Alex Dieringer is ranked number 4 in the nation not number 1, and yes he got a schooly but not a full ride!!!! Soufloan (Not sure who he is) But Sueflohn has never been rated higher then 4th in nation, again NO full ride!!!! By the way Luebeck has never beaten Dieringer in high school, I mean NEVER but yes he did beat Sueflohn once. Why wont we talk about Peterson, Yes he is good but he has ZERO State Titles (Can you say cant handle the pressure) I already said Benitz would win another title, My gosh he will be 19 and a half next year I would hope he wins a title again next year, you do realize he won one this year right? Amazing how Tritz could wrestle Bubba Jenkings at Oklahoma when Jenkings wrestled at Penn State and then transferred to Arizona State. You are making this to easy for someone who knows so much about wrestling (Yes I know who Bubba Jenkings, you obviously don't!!!) D3 schools DO NOT offer scholarships, it doesn't happen, so your wrong when you say they got better offers. THis is from the NCAA official page "DIII universities and colleges do not offer sports related scholarships to their student-athletes. This is getting easier every time you post. But I will help you out even though you know so much about these guys. Chappa wrestles for Cumberland University which is a NAIA school which is a step below DIII. But at least NAIA does offer scholarships. Vance Grube is not wrestling for the Badgers so don't tell me about his respectable offer, its a bunch of hog wash! Ben Best again not wrestling for Minny, you did nothing but substantiate my earlier post, Where are all these WR stud wrestlers wrestling in College (You answered yourself 1 NIAA and 1 DIII wrestlers, LMAO) You proved that you know next to nothing about wrestling, I am still laughing about the Buuba Jenkings comment!!!
Haha wow... what you don't know is that Bubba went to Oklahoma because he got an offer from them. That doesn't mean he was gonna wrestle for them! He obviously wasn't gonna because they gave Tritz the offer you fool! And how do you not know who Soufloan is? WOW! And you ask why they don't wrestle in college? I answered your question by saying that many people have other interests with their life than wrestling. The program at WR is pretty intense (practices sometimes harder than some college schools) and don't even comment back saying that it isn't because you wouldn't even know!!! Best, Grube, and Tritz had better plans other than wrestling after high school! Again you know nothing about them. I prove all, and stand behind my points! Here are where Dinger and Soufloan Stand in the Nation. Alex was ranked no. 1 during the year. http://www.intermatwrestle.com/rankings/high_school/140. Both are now ranked no. 2. Looks like I konw more than YOU think! Makes me laugh!
He never went to Oklahoma dum azz, he went to Penn State, why would they wrestle off if he never went there , you are a tard that is 4 sure, your shiat doesn't even make sense. No I don't know Soufllaon dum azz, because his name is Jake Sueflohn, man you are one ignorant pile of dung. WR Kids don't wrestle in college because they don't get recruited, no one wants to recruit the style they are taught, NO ONE!!! AND WHO is Dinger and Soufloan?? At least get the names straight if you want to look somewhat intelligent.http://www.win-magazine.com/2011/04/final-win-high-school-rankings/ Looks like you were wrong again, And by the way your original post said Dieringer was number 1, again you spew garbage. They practice harder then colleges, know that is the funniest thing you have said yet and you have posted some funny stuff!!!
And for the future so you can get your facts straight next time, Lubeck and Benitz both have D1 offers as Juniors in high school! Let me say that again; D1 BABY!!
This from someone who thinks Bubba Jenkins wrestled at Oklahoma!!! LMAO
And when the 1 wins his 2nd state title (which he will) he will be 19 and trust me College coaches take notice to things like this!!
I agree. I don't believe that this is normal locker room behavior. My son, who is a senior and is in sports, said that this is NOT just a normal thing that happens in the locker room. Those who believe that it is just normal guy behavior need help. These are the same people who will say that a girl who is raped must have done something to deserve it.
future child molesters right there, sick f***s
Those of you who are defending these 'upstanding young men', based on the fact, alone, that they are 'talented athletes' are pathetic and obviously either don't have children or are in some way related to these disturbed boys. Sorry, I don't buy it that this type of thing happens all the time in the locker room. I have a son in high school sports and he was repulsed and shocked by the behavior. As far as them being charged with Disorderly Conduct, what a bunch of B.S. Touching someone else with your genitals, against their will, IS SEXUAL ASSAULT!!! They should be listed as sex offenders. Anyone else who stuck their penis in a 15 yr olds face would be! Surprise surprise that one of the accused is the Coach's son. Hmmmm... I would be willing to bet if a student who wasn't one of the schools 'star athletes' had done this, they would be facing much harsher charges and criticism. What we have here is a bunch of spoiled, arrogant, indulged, AND now soon to be criminals. (In my opinion, sex offenders). School teachers/coaches and the like need to stop putting these kids on a pedestal. They are no better than anyone else and should be held to the same standards as anyone else would be. MY thoughts and prayers will be with the VICTIM and his family.
I couldn't have said it better myself!!! You are so right that if it was anyone else who stuck their penis in a 15 yo's face, they would be facing assault charges. And guess what?!?! My attacker was high on the social status scale. My attacker also was an outstanding athlete, hard worker & honor roll. I was attacked "again" by the nasty comments, the fear that small town had-their precious sports might not be able to win state this year. People were more concerned about that, than another human's pain & need for support. God forbid these hardworking citizens face the music."They couldn't have done it because of how hard they have worked for wrestling." Here are some examples of hardworking adults Fathers who are hard working attorneys have been known to sexually abuse a child; uncles who are dedicated coaches/athletes have assaulted as well. It doesn't matter how hard you work at something, how dedicated you are to your job, school, family etc. When you have done a crime like this PAY FOR IT. And for any of you accepting this behavior, I pray it doesn't happen to your children or yourself. Because being violated sticks with you forever.
Yeah. I'm sure JK & his family wanted to put themselves through this torture and said, "Hey--you know what would really be awesome?! To turn in some fellow wrestlers just because!! Come on mom-go crazy on everyone in this matter! Let's get these boys in so much trouble that we get harassed by calls & emails. Mom-I want people to call me gay & a liar! Heck; I love people making fun of my disability, let's do it mom!" PUH-LEEZ!!! I know when I was assaulted I asked for it too. I totally wanted to be hurt & scarred for life. Again with the "its ok its a locker room" talk, & "they had worked so hard to get their title." That doesn't matter people!! I don't care if it is mother teresa who acted this way-you do the crime; do the time!!!!
Absolutely agree 100 %. I am so sick of living here and only hearing about Rapids wrestling. I have lived here all my life and have never supported LHS or their wrestling program one bit. I sure hope the DA has a good reason for how he charged them but I doubt it. My kids are going to get somewhere by their intelligence and not by how they are in sports.
Well said...I totally agree!
Personally, I know all these guys. I've had them in classes, and even had gym classes with them. This will likely get twisted, as it previously has, but this is part of high school sports. The whole part about JK going into a locker to avoid being touched by privates of one of the boys is ridicuous. I've heard from many people that this boy has gone in his locker just to be in there. I can see the guys touching him with privates in the shower. The majority of them have done something along those lines. They're all really close. Calling them fa**ots and gay isn't going to do anything. In reality all of you are harassing them yourselves and I'm guessing the majority of you are at the college level or higher? It's immature. You're acting like you're my age, and in high school. Maybe they did do it, maybe they didn't. JK may have been harassed, this boy is deaf, partially blind, and mentally ill. He's changed his story twice that I know of. I'm not saying that this changes anything that may have happened but maybe the accusations aren't as extreme as they seem to be. We only have part of the story. More witnesses need to be interviewed. I don't believe the accusations are fully correct. I know these guys pretty well. Sure, you can say that makes me biast, you can say what you want. I know that they would never take it to these extremes. Escpecially with all the hard work they put into their sport. All sports involve some sort of physical contact. Baseball, football, basketball, they slap butts, and probably get towel whipped. Does that mean that all the team members should be charged with sexual assault. I don't know what happened in the locker room. I just think we should get more information before we have an opinion on something. We only have one side of the story here, and that's why so many are siding with JK.
There is a reason why we have the majority of JKs story-that's who its about. We can't get the wrestler's sides because I am sure by now they have been advised not to say anything because they might incrimidate themselves even more. And evidence speaks for itself: DeWitt, several witnesses, past & present behavior-all of that speaks on behalf of the victim. If this doesn't have truth to it, then where is a motion to dismiss on grounds of inconclusive evidence? Or a lawsuit against the victim & his family for slander? Defamation of Character? We have several sides to the story. Open your eyes and realize this behavior is NOT ok-friends of yours or not.
This is about Devin, Zak, Kasey, and Rylan just as much as its about JK. I am very close with all the guys on the wrestling team and i know that JK's story was exaggerated and blown way out of proportion. The cops say they have a lot of freshman witnesses, but ya know what..i have talked to the freshman wrestlers and none of them were even questions except for one. What the cops and the newspaper are saying is a bunch of crap. JK obvisously needs help. He has a lying problem and i am sure of it. You dont know the kid as well as the boys on the wrestling team do. Heck, you probably dont know any of the boys at all! So who are you to sit here and say how JK's story is right and the wrestlers should be charged? You obviously dont know anything that goes on. JK tried to get wrestlers in trouble last year at the middle school for the same thing and none of it was true. The only reason they are taking this so far is because he is disabled.
So what you're saying, is that it's ok for them to have 'touched him with their privates in the shower'? You need to check the law honey. Touching someone else's genitals, OR touching a person with your genitals, against their will, is sexual assault. 'All the hard work they put into their sport' has nothing to do with it. These guys obviously think they can do whatever they want without paying the consequences. Good luck in the real world! You are basically attacking the victim here, which is what often happens in the case of rape. So, do you also believe that if a girl gets raped, she might have been 'asking for it'? People like you, who blame the victim, and defend the criminal are a HUGE part of the problem.
Exactly! And people wonder why so many sexual abuse/assaults & rapes go unreported. Try watching some documentaries on sex crimes...maybe you will change your tune!!
People like you who blame the criminal for not knowing the true story are a HUGE part of the problem.
Ummm...sorry honey, but the last time I checked the definition of CRIMINAL was: "a person charged with, or convicted of crime"...look it up in the dictionary :) But no, silly me! Blaming the criminal is just absurd! We should all blame the victim of the situation. You know because he totally was asking for these boys to stick their private parts in his face..by the way what do you believe the TRUE story is? You know, a story different from the victim, and SEVERAL witnesses??
WR, you will not succeed in making points if you can actually say "blaming the criminal is adding to the problem." That had to be one of the most unintelligent things I've ever heard of!!
Blame the criminal? Isn't that who is to blame...the 'criminal'??? And all of the witnesses are lying as well? What would they have to gain by lying? The accused would have a reason to lie...to save their ass. You make no sense at all.
None of you can prove that these 4 are the 'criminals'. A HUGE part of the problem is that people like you hear one side of the story and automatically think its true. YOU DONT KNOW THE WHOLE STORY. So stop accusing these boys so doing something that they didnt.
Then PLEASE enlighten us....what is the 'WHOLE STORY'??? Alot of you who are defending them keep saying this, but fail to give any detail.
Oh really?? What is the TRUE story then? YOU, Obviously wouldn't know unless you are one of them, or were a witness
At least somebody has enough sense on here! I'm assuming you know the boys just as well as I do. Thanks for the post.
Yes, i do. And your welcome. All the rest of you honestly have no say in this. You obviously dont know any of them. If you did you would understand.
i am a senior a lincoln high school and i know Jk he is a very nice kid. and i think that what these 4 guys are doing is horrible. he is hearing impared and disabled! he didnt even know what was going on at first. even if he wasnt it is still not right. i see these guys at school every day and it does not suprise me that the 3 exept lubeck is involved. Zak is the coaches son and i know that they were trying to keep this on the down low for as long as possible. they didnt do anything about it untill after all wrestling was done because they didnt think it was a big deal. the boys should be getting more that disorderly conduct. it is not right!!! and i know as a fact that if any of the other guys on the team tried to help JK everyone would turn on the one trying to help or keep that person out of the way. its not right and i hope the guys get what they deserve and not a slap on the wrist. i understand if you do not agree but that is my personal opinion.
I disagree with you. I'm also from LHS. I know for sure that Lubeck would never go to the extreme as you stated, but I don't believe the others would either. These guys wouldn't risk their hardwork for that. Sure, JK may have been hazed but this happens in all sports. As you said he is impaired, maybe he went to extremes with his story. I've heard he's changed it twice so far and possibly more, each time he tells it. I'm not trying to push my opinion on you, but we only have one side of the story. Which I believe makes the majority of people to sway to JK's side. I just think we need both sides of the story and maybe more withnesses.
More witnesses? you mean the several they already have isn't enough for you?
i dont all together disagree with you. i agree we should get both sides of the story. but you have to admit that you cant put it past these guys. they all have a reputation at school. and yeah JK may have changed his story but i dont think that he made it up. you have to give him a little slack the kid is going through alot. he may not even realize what is all happening.
I'm not saying they did or didn't do anything, and I'm not saying JK made it up. Maybe they fooled around/hazed and he went a little further with the story. I could see them fooling around with him, but to these extremes? That's questioning. I don't believe the whole private going near JK's rear end. Yes though, we need both sides.
No, you do NOT know that they would never do this. Why then are there numerous witnesses who all corroborate the victims story? Is it all a big conspiracy here in Wisconsin Rapids? Everyone out to get the wrestlers? Give me a break. I'm really sick and tired of people defending bullies. The fact is, many of the 'star' athletes are coddled and excused from responsibility because the school, the coach, the community doesn't want their winning team to lose their top athletes. That needs to stop.
So you're saying that we don't know that they would never do this? Well you sure as F**k don't know that they did do it. And for the record, the people that were interviewed were net random. It's pretty easy to hear what you want when your choosing the people to hear it from. And yes I do believe they're going after the wrestling team. One more question, Why would a mothers son, let alone teenage son, tell her what he does in the locker room? Of course he's gonna say that none of this normally goes on. I'm pretty sure the average teenager would.
Before you post, try not to sound so contradicting. ("Yes, I know they wouldn't do this," and then "I'm not saying they didn't do It.") Thanks
I agree with Rapidspride, I think there's a lot less than meets the eye in these accusations. First of all, anybody who has ever been in a boy's locker room knows what kind of goofing around takes place. Second, some of the accusations sound anatomically impossible. For example, I'd like to know how it's possible for one boy to force another into a locker by threatening to hit him in the face with his penis. How tall would a kid have to be to be able to hit somebody in the face with his penis? Ridiculous. I can believe that JK might have had somebody's penis pushed against his butt cheek in the shower (as a joke) and the guys danced around waving their penises, but for crying out loud, these are teenage boys. I had a friend who goofed around with me the same way when we were lifting together and it was simply funny. The real problem here is a mom who's out of control. What an embarrassment.
Its only funny if you wanted it. Would you want several boys waving their penis in your face? MMMMM i doubt it but maybe you would who knows, Point is, he didn't and for the fact this boy is disabled makes it all the worse in my eyes. This should limit them on ever getting a job in the healthcare field too but then again, they're wrestlers who are getting ahead in life because they wrestle. COME ON.
Come on ....really? If the boy was sitting on a bench, the other boys penis would be right about face level. Not too difficult to figure out, was it? And yeah, the real problem is a mom who's out of control? You have got to be kidding me. You are just as bad as the kids who are accused. Or maybe you're one of them. Grow up. It's fine if you like someone waving their penis around in your face. That doesn't mean everyone else enjoys it.
And others have asked how their penis' touch the thigh of a victim. Ummmm...squatting down to the victim's thigh level?! DUH!
just cause you like penises in your face doesn't mean everyone else does. What they did was beyond "goofing around."
How do you know what they did? I'm pretty sure you were not in the locker room (considering you're a girl) when this happened. Looks like you and everyone on this website (besides a select few people) believe everything what the paper is saying and not looking into what really happened. Shame on you for saying and talking about kids like this that you go to school with!
And shame on your for condoning this behavior.
Also, people are not just 'believing everything what the paper is saying'. It is based off of the POLICE REPORT. You obviously have a vested interest in these 4 accused. Come up with something intelligent to say, and quit contradicting yourself... okay?
LIKE BUTTON HERE!