Babbit?
Moderators: Mitch Hawker, east hockey, karl(east)
Babbitt coach arrested
Officials 'shocked' as coach in court
Varsity association official says B-E/T-S/E girls hockey team to play despite arrest
Jim Romsaas
Mesabi Daily News
Friday, August 11th, 2006 10:24:27 PM
MASSILLON, Ohio — The Babbitt-Embarrass/Tower-Soudan/Ely girls hockey team will play again this season despite the arrest of its coach in Ohio on Internet sex charges involving minors, an official close to the team said.
Finding out about the arrest of Donald Richard Lindstrom, 48, of Babbitt was shocking for East Range Athletic Association President Ron Rykken, who said the allegations were “gravely concerning.’’ The private, non-profit ERAA funds the B-E/T-S/E varsity level program, he added.
“Babbitt will have varsity hockey this year,’’ Rykken said in a telephone interview. “The program will continue.’’
He was hesitant to make further comments until knowing all the facts. However, he said there would be a new coach for 2006-07 if the allegations have any merit.
Lindstrom, who coached the team last season, was arraigned in Massillon (Ohio) Municipal Court Friday on one count of attempted unlawful sex with a minor and two counts of importuning, a fifth-degree felony solicitation of a minor using a computer and a phone. His next appearance is set for Aug. 17.
Married with two children, Lindstrom faces up to 18 months in jail, said Massillon Police Det. Bobby Grizzard, who assisted in the arrest. Lindstrom was released on bond (10 percent of $100,000) later in the morning Friday.
During a one-month period, Lindstrom allegedly communicated in an Internet chat room with an undercover police officer he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Lindstrom, the owner of Black Iron Rubber Co. in Babbitt, solicited whom he believed to be a 14-year-old for sex, court records say.
Grizzard said the chat room was predominantly designed for individuals interested in sex with young girls around grade 7. Lindstrom went by the user name “Siberswede.’’
The communication culminated with Lindstrom flying to Cleveland (his birthplace) and then traveling to a shopping mall in Massillon Thursday where he was to meet the girl in the food court, court records say.
However, Massillon Police and members of the FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were waiting there for Lindstrom. He was taken into custody around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
“He was pretty shocked,’’ Grizzard said of Lindstrom’s demeanor.
Grizzard wouldn’t release Lindstrom’s actual statements, but said “ultimately these guys want you to believe they are there for other purposes.’’ The same held true for Lindstrom, he said.
They have “some sort of fixation for young kids,’’ Grizzard said, because they wouldn’t travel that far (about 1,000 miles) to meet someone otherwise.
Charles Rick, superintendent of the St. Louis County School District, was shocked as well when he read of Lindstrom’s arrest in Friday’s Mesabi Daily News. There was no indication of any similar behavior in the past, he added.
“The allegations are quite serious,’’ Rick said. “We have to deal with it as a district.’’
Rick also said the district has a misconduct policy in place to deal with such matters.
The St. Louis County and Ely school districts issued a joint press release Friday saying they will work in “collaboration with the East Range Athletic Association and local authorities with respect to any issues or concerns regarding Mr. Lindstrom’s past service as girls hockey coach.’’
Rick said he didn’t know if Lindstrom had been planning to be the team’s coach for the upcoming season.
The BETSE girls hockey program is operated by the ERAA in collaboration with the St. Louis County School District. The school district serves as the sponsor for the team through the Minnesota High School League.
If Lindstrom winds up not coaching, the team will be looking for its third coach in three years due to quite different circumstances. The previous coach, Ryan Lossing, died last summer in a tragic drowning accident on Birch Lake.
Lindstrom’s arrest is “going to be extremely difficult on the program,’’ according to Rykken, although the kids are quite resilient.
Varsity association official says B-E/T-S/E girls hockey team to play despite arrest
Jim Romsaas
Mesabi Daily News
Friday, August 11th, 2006 10:24:27 PM
MASSILLON, Ohio — The Babbitt-Embarrass/Tower-Soudan/Ely girls hockey team will play again this season despite the arrest of its coach in Ohio on Internet sex charges involving minors, an official close to the team said.
Finding out about the arrest of Donald Richard Lindstrom, 48, of Babbitt was shocking for East Range Athletic Association President Ron Rykken, who said the allegations were “gravely concerning.’’ The private, non-profit ERAA funds the B-E/T-S/E varsity level program, he added.
“Babbitt will have varsity hockey this year,’’ Rykken said in a telephone interview. “The program will continue.’’
He was hesitant to make further comments until knowing all the facts. However, he said there would be a new coach for 2006-07 if the allegations have any merit.
Lindstrom, who coached the team last season, was arraigned in Massillon (Ohio) Municipal Court Friday on one count of attempted unlawful sex with a minor and two counts of importuning, a fifth-degree felony solicitation of a minor using a computer and a phone. His next appearance is set for Aug. 17.
Married with two children, Lindstrom faces up to 18 months in jail, said Massillon Police Det. Bobby Grizzard, who assisted in the arrest. Lindstrom was released on bond (10 percent of $100,000) later in the morning Friday.
During a one-month period, Lindstrom allegedly communicated in an Internet chat room with an undercover police officer he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.
Lindstrom, the owner of Black Iron Rubber Co. in Babbitt, solicited whom he believed to be a 14-year-old for sex, court records say.
Grizzard said the chat room was predominantly designed for individuals interested in sex with young girls around grade 7. Lindstrom went by the user name “Siberswede.’’
The communication culminated with Lindstrom flying to Cleveland (his birthplace) and then traveling to a shopping mall in Massillon Thursday where he was to meet the girl in the food court, court records say.
However, Massillon Police and members of the FBI’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were waiting there for Lindstrom. He was taken into custody around 4:30 p.m. Thursday.
“He was pretty shocked,’’ Grizzard said of Lindstrom’s demeanor.
Grizzard wouldn’t release Lindstrom’s actual statements, but said “ultimately these guys want you to believe they are there for other purposes.’’ The same held true for Lindstrom, he said.
They have “some sort of fixation for young kids,’’ Grizzard said, because they wouldn’t travel that far (about 1,000 miles) to meet someone otherwise.
Charles Rick, superintendent of the St. Louis County School District, was shocked as well when he read of Lindstrom’s arrest in Friday’s Mesabi Daily News. There was no indication of any similar behavior in the past, he added.
“The allegations are quite serious,’’ Rick said. “We have to deal with it as a district.’’
Rick also said the district has a misconduct policy in place to deal with such matters.
The St. Louis County and Ely school districts issued a joint press release Friday saying they will work in “collaboration with the East Range Athletic Association and local authorities with respect to any issues or concerns regarding Mr. Lindstrom’s past service as girls hockey coach.’’
Rick said he didn’t know if Lindstrom had been planning to be the team’s coach for the upcoming season.
The BETSE girls hockey program is operated by the ERAA in collaboration with the St. Louis County School District. The school district serves as the sponsor for the team through the Minnesota High School League.
If Lindstrom winds up not coaching, the team will be looking for its third coach in three years due to quite different circumstances. The previous coach, Ryan Lossing, died last summer in a tragic drowning accident on Birch Lake.
Lindstrom’s arrest is “going to be extremely difficult on the program,’’ according to Rykken, although the kids are quite resilient.
-
hockeyfinatic
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 7:35 am
This makes me Sick!
This makes me sick!