Charges stand in teen sex case
Photo 
Russell Lesser
ELKHORN — A Walworth County judge Wednesday refused to dismissed charges against a former youth pastor accused of having sex with a Lake Geneva teen in the 1970s.
Russell J. Lesser, 63, of Bryson City, N.C., sought to have the case dismissed, claiming the statute of limitations has expired, said Walworth County District Attorney Phil Koss.
Koss argued it has not expired because Lesser hasn't lived in Wisconsin since the alleged offenses occurred.
Defense attorney Stephen Kramer also wanted access to records of any counseling the victim might have received since the alleged offenses to see if she was "transferring guilt" or if she had "credibility issues," Koss said.
But Koss argued the defense was "fishing" and failed to show the records would contain relevant or exculpatory information.
Lesser, a former Youth for Christ Campus Life minister, is charged with two felony counts of sexual intercourse with a child and felony indecent behavior with a child.
He pleaded not guilty in August.
According to the criminal complaint, the woman told police she was sexually assaulted by a counselor from the summer of 1974 to the spring of 1976 while attending youth group.
The counselor began touching her inappropriately as part of a "trust" game, and months later the game led to sex, according to the complaint.
The girl and her parents confronted the counselor, but he denied any wrongdoing. At the time, the girl also denied anything inappropriate, according to the complaint.
The counselor was fired, and he moved out of the state in the spring of 1976. The girl disclosed the sexual abuse to her parents a year later, according to the complaint.
A Walworth County sheriff's detective began investigating in 2006 after speaking with an attorney who represented the girl and her family in the 1970s, according to the complaint.
A detective spoke with the woman's parents in May, and a warrant for Lesser's arrest was issued July 11.
If convicted, Lesser faces up to 30 years in prison. He remains free on a signature bond and a $2,500 cash bond.
The case is scheduled for trial in April.
Dec 18, 2008 at 12:35 p.m.
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**waiting for the bible thumpers to read about the "pagan holiday"**
Dec 18, 2008 at 12:25 p.m.
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WOW! Age has not been kind to Russ. He was a very good looking man when he was 25-45. I haven't seen him in about 13 years and I hardly recognized him!
Anyone know who is sueing him? The girl or the state?
Dec 18, 2008 at 11:57 a.m.
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LOL @ Christmas Nazi
Dec 18, 2008 at 11:44 a.m.
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the believers are now in control of capital C ?? using a capital C is just a gateway to to other capitals you know. how about Atheist or Jew, oh no ! yes it not the "reason" for the season for all of us but the Christmas Nazis never see that.
Dec 18, 2008 at 10:36 a.m.
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blood-I don't think you really hate being a grammer nazi. I really don't care either way, for christ sake.
Dec 18, 2008 at 10:09 a.m.
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I cannot believe people are defending this pederast. He should be a registered offender if this is all true. Hopefully the trial will get all the facts out on the table.
Dec 18, 2008 at 10:09 a.m.
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Leo- I hate to be a grammer correction Nazi, but if choose to add the name of Christ in your writings please treat like a proper name and capitalize the C. Tis the reason for the season afterall. Thanks.
Dec 18, 2008 at 9:49 a.m.
Dec 18, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.
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3children, I did the math on his age the abuse started in 1974 and ended in 1976 he is currently 63 years old so he was 29 when it started and 31 when it ended. There is no information on how old she was however since it is a youth camp she could have been as young as in middle school or possibly as old as you stated as 16. However even if she was 16 he was still 29 and chances of that being consensual are pretty slim, not to mention even at 16 she cannot legally consent, and he was taking advantage of his leadership position at a religious establishment to have sex with a teenager. So he was a dirty almost thirty year’s old man having sex with a kid. Simple math that is all.
Dec 18, 2008 at 9:32 a.m.
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Nice job Gazette, make a guy feel like an old pervert 38 years after the fact...
Dec 18, 2008 at 9:31 a.m.
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Actually, 32-34 years ago still puts him at 29 at the youngest. If this was your daughter, would you feel the same way about it? He really was a "dirty old man" having sex with a teenager. The article also says he "is charged with two felony counts of sexual intercourse with a child and felony indecent behavior with a child." That would lead me to believe she was under 16 at the time these assaults took place. But, regardless of her age and his age, this was non-concensual sexual conduct. **3children, I would not want to be one of yours if you feel what happened to this girl was not that big a deal. Shame on you.
Dec 18, 2008 at 9:20 a.m.
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38 years ago. Let's see he was probably 20 and she was probably 16. These details would have been nice to have in the article. He's not some dirty old man have sex with a teenager.
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