The United States Attorney's Office

Northern District of Iowa

Press Releases

ALLEGED POLICE OFFICER FROM ILLINOIS CHARGED WITH TRAVELING TO IOWA TO HAVE SEX WITH 13-YEAR-OLD BOY

June 15, 2007

Contact: Peter Deegan

United States Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth announced today that DONALD W. RAGER, age 40, from Grayslake, Illinois, has been charged with two counts of traveling in interstate commerce to engage in sexual conduct with a minor. The charges are contained in a Complaint and Indictment unsealed today in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.

The Complaint alleges that, on or about February 12, 2006, RAGER traveled to Dubuque, Iowa, to meet with a 13-year-old boy he met in an Internet chat room. RAGER allegedly took the boy to a Dubuque hotel where they had sex while RAGER video-recorded the encounter. RAGER allegedly showed the boy other video images of adult men having sex with minor boys. According to the Complaint, after the boy reported the incident in April 2007, law enforcement officers made undercover contacts with RAGER. During those contacts, RAGER allegedly made plans to meet with the boy for an additional sexual encounter on Friday, May 18, 2007, in Dubuque. RAGER was arrested when he arrived in Dubuque for the meeting on May 18. He had an initial appearance in federal court that afternoon. The Indictment charges RAGER with interstate travel to have sex with a minor on February 12, 2006, and interstate travel to have sex with a minor on May 18, 2007.

Information disclosed at an arraignment today indicated RAGER is a part-time police officer who operates a security business in Grayslake, Illinois.

If convicted, RAGER faces a possible maximum sentence of 60 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, a $200 special assessment, and supervised release for life following any imprisonment.

At RAGER’S arraignment today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, he was ordered held without bond. RAGER’S next appearance for a trial is set for August 13, 2007, at 9:00 a.m.

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter Deegan and was investigated by the Dubuque County Attorney’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation.