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Published - Wednesday, July 02, 2008

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Sex offender accused of taking photos of children


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Charges were filed Tuesday against a 58-year-old La Crosse sex offender accused of photographing a group of children.

A 12-year-old girl told her mother she witnessed Steve Traister, of 1532 S. 31st St., take pictures of her and a friend while the girls were wearing swimsuits and beach towels in early June, according to the criminal complaint filed in La Crosse County Circuit Court.
The mother learned Traister was a sex offender on a Web site before contacting authorities.

Police found Traister sitting on the front steps of his house with a digital camera and a telescopic lens he said were being used to photograph the bluffs and nearby houses, the complaint stated.

But officers instead discovered numerous pictures of children playing in a yard and two of the 12-year-old girls on the camera, according to the complaint.

Traister told police he was testing his new camera and did not mean anything by photographing the children.

He was temporarily left alone when the officer called the district attorney’s office. When the officer returned, all the images had been erased, though Traister denied involvement. He later admitted to taking four pictures of the children, according to the complaint.

State statutes prohibit people on the sex offender registry from photographing anyone younger than 17 without the parent’s permission.

The criminal complaint charges Traister with being a registered sex offender intentionally photographing a minor without consent, obstructing an officer and disorderly conduct, all as a repeat offender.

Traister was placed on five years probation in April 2001 stemming from a conviction of possession of child pornography in federal court while he was living in Iowa.

Anne Jungen can be reached at (608) 791-8224 or ajungen@lacrossetribune.com.
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kamikazefaase wrote on Jul 3, 2008 2:15 PM:

" catmom: Please read my July 2 @ 5:03pm post. Your skewed prospective needs correcting. But then again maybe you were women being sexually cut in foreign countries just for being women. I suggest you putting your rusty ax and its list aside until you know ALL the facts, not just your prejudices. "

bearcat25 wrote on Jul 2, 2008 11:08 PM:

" the camera wasn't secured immediately because a warrant is needed to do so. Yes you can secure it if you think there is jeopardy of evidence being destroyed immediately, but it's risky all the guy has to do then is get a good lawyer who can talk a good game. "

catmom wrote on Jul 2, 2008 7:01 PM:

" Once again, I think he needs to be on the neutering with a rusty ax list. "

kamikazefaase wrote on Jul 2, 2008 5:03 PM:

" While castration is seemingly appropriate for child molesters, Traister was convicted of having child pornography not molestation. Can any of you prove he molested a child and didn't use his material privately without torchering a child? Traister seems to have a sexual illness, but he has managed so far as not to inflicted it upon anyone yet. If that should change, castrate! I also agree that the police officer messed up by leaving the area so the suspect can erase evidence. Traister did what any person being questioned about certain possible criminal activity, erase the evidence. "

random annoying bozo wrote on Jul 2, 2008 3:49 PM:

" meksnb, just for the record, could you tell me where there is an 'area' where ther are NO children? other in the middle of nowhere of course. and also, quit living your life in fear. i also do have to agree, castration seems like the logical route to go with offenders. maybe like a '2 strikes and your neutered' deal. "

meknsb wrote on Jul 2, 2008 2:28 PM:

" I am just surprised that he could even live in that area because I thought that sex offenders are not allowed in an area where there is children. I know the area just because i live by him, and now I am afraid of walking in the area now just because he lives so close, so isn't there a law that says that they can't live in an area with children or not?? "

davidinlse wrote on Jul 2, 2008 11:13 AM:

" Actually one thing that needs to be done immediately is to suspend the officer. His failure to secure the "evidence" could cause the case to be thrown out. But then again, the other idiot in the room admitted to taking 4 pictures. They are both guilty. "

Willie wrote on Jul 2, 2008 10:10 AM:

" Krusty, I couldn't agree with you more, but first we should start with removing the offending body part. Public notification (and the secondary effect of ostracizing the sicko) doesn't seem to be working. The first offense should include chemical castration and maybe corporal punishment. If they re-offend then they should lose that body part. If they still manage to commit another offense after that...well you have that one covered. Hey, it works for the Muslims. "

Krusty wrote on Jul 2, 2008 6:36 AM:

" There is a device that when placed behind a pedophiles ear or between his eyes that is 100% effective in stopping child molestors and other perverts. There is no cure for molestors besides putting them down. Too bad the supreme court decided to let these sicko's live. "

Ultimateplus wrote on Jul 2, 2008 12:51 AM:

" There is software that will recover deleted photos from a memory card, cost about $35. The police, DA, or anyone that accidentally deleted pictures could benefit from this software. "


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