Golden Valley man accused of seeking sex from cop posing as a minor

A Golden Valley man allegedly solicited sex with minors on Craigslist, where his ad said he accompanied his high school son's baseball team to Florida, where "some hanky-panky went on."

Stephen J. Schulz, 55, was charged Monday in Ramsey County District Court with one count of solicitation of a child for sexual conduct via the Internet. He was arrested April 19 after exchanging e-mails with a police officer who was posing as a 15-year-old boy.

According to the complaint: An investigator with the Minnesota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force was looking at personal ads on Craigslist that appeared to target minors. One ad by someone claiming to be a 45-year-old "discreet" man from the west metro area referred to his high school-aged son. The man talked about the Florida baseball trip, and indicated that he was looking for oral sex.

The investigator responded April 9, saying he played baseball and was 15.

"Am I too young?" the officer wrote.

"Yes, sorry," Schulz allegedly replied.

On April 15, Schulz initiated contact with the officer and said he was looking for a massage and oral sex. Schulz asked for a photo, and the investigator sent a photo of another officer when he was young, the complaint said.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Under questioning, Schulz told police that his intent was "perhaps to have some sexual relations." He told police the information in his post was fictional and that he had posted 10 to 15 ads a week on Craigslist. Golden Valley police said they were not aware of any investigations into the Florida claims.

Schulz told police he was sexually abused by a priest as a child, and was a plaintiff in a suit brought by a local attorney against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The attorney's office would not confirm or deny whether Schulz was a plaintiff.

Peter Isely, Milwaukee-based Midwest director of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said he was unfamiliar with Schulz.

"What I want people to know is that people who are abused sexually as children, the vast, vast majority do not grow up to commit abuse themselves," Isely said. "This is one of those myths that has made it difficult for victims to come forward."