Caledonia Argus

Alleged sex offender pleads not guilty

Posted: 3/9/04

Scott M. Schendel, 45, of La Crescent pled not guilty to nine counts of criminal sexual conduct on March 4.

The plea came at a Rule Eight hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes before Houston County District Court Judge James Fabian.

Schendel waived his right to an omnibus hearing, which examines constitutional challenges or challenges to probable cause.

Houston County Attorney Richard Jackson filed three complaints against Schendel on February 23 that allege nine instances of sexual misconduct involving three girls under the age of 13.

In November of 2003, Schendel was charged with two counts two counts of second degree criminal sexual conduct involving another girl. He pled not guilty to that in December.

His attorney, John M. Brinckman of La Crosse, requested that a March 15 trial that had been set up for those earlier charges be rescheduled. He said he intends to resolve all matters by a plea.

No new trial date has been set .Jackson said he had not received video interviews from investigators of the four alleged victims.

Nine of the counts are for criminal sexual conduct in the second degree. A conviction for each count carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and/or $35,000 fine.

The other two counts are for indecent exposure and criminal sexual conduct in the fifth degree, each of which carries a one year and/or $3,000 penalty.

Schendel is free on a $10,000 cash bond. He is allowed to go out of state to do work, but can have no contact with the alleged victims, and no unsupervised contact with children under age 18.

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