Gerald L. Heavner - Repeat Sex Offender - Goes after 7 year old

A Roberts man was in St. Croix County Circuit Court on charges of Child Enticement-Sexual Contact and Abduction of a Child-Detaining on Friday.

Gerald L. Heavner, 39, last known address of 134 Burr St., did not enter a plea. He will appear before Judge Eric Lundell on Jan. 16 for a plea/sentencing hearing.

A plea bargain was offered. If Heavner pleads guilty to the first count of child enticement, he will spend one year in St. Croix County Jail and serve five years of probation.

St. Croix County Corrections Field Supervisor Mike O’Keefe said it’s likely Heavner will be under some form of law enforcement supervision for a long time.

Charges allege that on Aug. 1, Heavner attempted to entice a 7-year-old girl to ride in his car in Roberts.

“Luckily, he was caught early,” O’Keefe said about Heavner’s potential re-offense.

O’Keefe also commended the child Heavner approached for talking to an adult about what happened, just as children should do in a situation like that.

Heavner has been in St. Croix County Jail since he was picked up on those charges.

Heavner is a registered sex offender. He was convicted of first degree sexual assault of a child on March 26, 1999. In that case, he pleaded guilty. That conviction remains unreversed.

Heavner was still on parole for that conviction during this alleged incident.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Web site, first degree sexual assault of a child includes sexual contact or intercourse with a person who is under 13 years old.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"

.........Sarah Tofte