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Gretna man's wife argues for probation in underage sex case

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Aug 21, 2008 - 04:59:54 pm CDT

A 59-year-old Gretna man’s wife said never in a million years did she think she would stand in front of a judge asking for leniency for her husband of 37 years.

Especially considering the shock and hurt she felt when Lincoln police arrested him Aug. 31 for soliciting sex online from an undercover officer posing as a 15-year-old girl.

In court Thursday, her husband, Kenneth Vogl, tearfully expressed regret and professed love for his wife.

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“I feel so terrible for the hurt that I caused her,” he said. “I love her so much. She never did deserve any of this.”

Donna Vogl asked Judge Jodi Nelson to give him probation. She said sending him to prison only would victimize her further and undo progress they’ve made with the help of counseling.

“Separating us now would do more harm than good,” she said.

His attorney, Chad Wythers, said something went terribly wrong for Vogl to act so out of character. But he said assessments say odds of him doing it again are nonexistent.

Nelson said the offense is repugnant to society, but Vogl’s awareness he needs counseling and his lack of a record worked in his favor.

She gave him three years’ probation and 100 hours of community service. Vogl must continue counseling and register as a sex offender. He can have no contact with anyone under 16 and no Internet access, unless for work reasons.


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rich wrote on August 21, 2008 6:39 pm:
" oh man. no internet? thats harsh. i'm sure that after hearing of such a penalty no one would ever dare trying to solicit a minor online. "

 Send me to prison wrote on August 21, 2008 6:54 pm:
" They get internet access there, right? That would be much less of a penalty than not being able to post comments on journalstar for three years. "

 Ed wrote on August 21, 2008 8:34 pm:
" Uh, you realize the no internet thing was to make sure he wasn't soliciting underage girls online again, right? To make sure the tool of his crime was taken away while he was undergoing therapy to ensure he never did it again? You may not agree with the idea that he got probation, but please think before you assume that he was being "punished" by no internet - there was a good reason. "

 agree wrote on August 21, 2008 8:44 pm:
" Agree with "Send me to prison." I have to have internet. Living in prison with internet would be much easier than living in prison with no internet. That is pretty much what this guy has...same as prison IF no internet. "

 Been There wrote on August 21, 2008 11:06 pm:
" Men who want to have sex with underage girls will pursue young girls regardless of whether they have Internet access. Long before the Internet was even a glimmer on the horizon, a 'friend' of my parents exposed his buck-naked self to me when I was 15. I know I was not alone among my friends in receiving such unwanted attention from men we considered ancient and gross. I hope this guy's probation is closely supervised. "

 agree is right wrote on August 22, 2008 1:01 am:
" No instant message? Terrible. No E-mail? God Awful. No facebook, myspace, linked in, or other social network site? Sounds like a page straight from Dantes' Paradise Lost, right there on the ninth circle of Hell. In a society of instant gratification and hidden electronic alleys of self gratification and depraved behavior, no Internet access (outside of work reasons) sounds very difficult to live with. Looks like someone will have to start writing letters (by hand, difficult and slow but still possible) to make comments to the editors or fellow readers, read the "Old News" in the hard copy of Journal Star (they still make that don't they?), and rely on the archaic and primitive method of leaving the house or pick up the phone to communicate. Don't be like Nero, never take the Red Pill. "

 Yada wrote on August 22, 2008 5:23 am:
" Last month a judge gave probation to the guy who was sending obscene video of himself to a "minor". Now we have a judge that has given probation to a guy who showed up to have sex with a "minor". I guess the judges here in Lincoln are following the lead of the judges from Omaha when it comes to sentences for these types of crimes. "

 Ken Hecklsberg wrote on August 22, 2008 6:39 am:
" Obviously the internet is an important tool in everybody's lives, how else could we leave anonymous critiques every time a judge's sentences comes down? "

 b s wrote on August 22, 2008 7:20 am:
" wow I bet his hand hurts from being slapped. "

 lovie wrote on August 22, 2008 8:24 am:
" He doesn't truly love her if he did something like this. "

 Know what Youre talking about wrote on August 22, 2008 9:06 am:
" There is NO INTERNET IN PRISON. (Atleast not here in Nebraska), it would be a security issue. You can't talk on the phone when you want, or call whoever want or have anyone you want visit you either, for the same reason. "

 I dont care wrote on August 22, 2008 9:18 am:
" I don't care what progress he is making with his wife... I don't want this man out on the streets where he has access to small children. He must pay for his crime.. Since when do we take into consideration what his family life is like before we sentence someone for their crime?? "

 rich wrote on August 22, 2008 9:46 am:
" uh ed, yes i realize why his internet was taken away, but yes, it is part of his punishment. fortunately, there was no real victim this time but what if the officer had been a 15 year old? the way the judges sentence these cases he probably would have lost his cell phone privileges too. "

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