FRANKLIN, Ind. — A former president of Franklin College was sentenced Monday in connection to a 2020 incident in Wisconsin.
A spokesperson with the Door County Clerk of Courts office told 13News Thomas Minar was sentenced to six years in prison, as well as six years of extended supervision.
Minar was arrested in January 2020 after he allegedly messaged an undercover police officer in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, who was posing as a 15-year-old boy on a popular dating app.
He initially faced the following charges:
- One count of child enticement
- One count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime
- One count of exposing a child to harmful material
- Twelve counts of possession of child pornography.
In March 2022, all but four of the charges were dismissed when Minar pleaded guilty to child enticement and three counts of possession of child pornography.
According to messages shown in court documents, Minar acknowledged when the person he was chatting with said he was only 15. Minar then asked questions about the boy's body, underwear and groin before arranging a meeting.
Officers arrested Minar at a McDonald's, where he told officers he knew the person he was chatting with was 15 years old. Minar then claimed that he likes making friends and that he was not looking for "sexual things."
According to court documents, Minar told investigators he thinks young gay people need "resources" and "non-sexual affirmations and mentorship and role models" and this was probably a "misguided way to provide an opportunity." Minar also said he often talks to young people about education, claiming the purpose of his "fantasy chat" with the 15-year-old was "sexual curiosity."
Students who spoke with 13News in January 2020 were stunned to hear the news of Minar's arrest and termination.
"He always did this thing, during our winter term, where it would be tea with the president and stuff, so we were in his house talking with him," said student Tyler Placke. "Everyone's reaction is like, 'Holy cow!' I didn't think this would happen, you know. He's always such a super nice guy and always real active on campus."
"It's crazy. I was just lifting and I got the email about it, and I was like, 'Wow.' We're such a small school. I never thought this would happen," said student Xavier Morales.
Minar had previously announced in 2019 that he would be stepping down as president of Franklin College on June 30, 2020, but the college terminated him after his arrest.
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