Ann Arbor pianist pleads guilty to enticing a minor in Ohio
An Ann Arbor pianist charged with traveling to Ohio to force two underage girls to perform sex acts on him pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
Under federal sentencing guidelines, David Jeremy Zobel faces between 10 years to 11 years and three months in prison when he is sentenced in April, records show.
Zobel entered the plea Jan. 8 in federal court in Dayton, court records show.
Zobel reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors, but that agreement has not yet been made public.
Zobel, who was the music director at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Ypsilanti and a pianist with the Men’s Glee Club at the University of Michigan, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint in June.
He was accused of driving the girls, ages 12 and 13, from Xenia to a parking garage about 170 miles away in Toledo, then locking the car’s doors, an FBI affidavit says.
Zobel wouldn’t let the girls out until each performed a sex act on him and let him photograph their breasts, the affidavit says.
Investigators say he met the 13-year-old on the social networking site MySpace.com and communicated with her in sex chat rooms and by text, records show.
He was later indicted on three counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 8.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. You can reach him at (734) 623-2527 or by email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
Ben L
Wed, May 12, 2010 : 5:04 p.m.
Just so we're all clear on trs80's position, he is advocating a position that values more sexual assault as a response to sexual assault. This attitude is both sickening and sickeningly pervasive in our society. What sex offenders like this need is rehabilitation and prevention. That's why I agree with policies like the one advocated by Lokalisierung. To justify the sexual assault of any human being, no matter what they have done, is terribly inhumane.
Dot
Thu, Jan 28, 2010 : 2:17 a.m.
Did he pretend to be younger? Did the 13 year old willingly get in this predator's car? These girls are lucky to be alive! We're seeing time and time again that these monsters manage to live and work amongst us without drawing awareness to their evil intentions. So the task is how to convince all kids of the online (and off) danger of these predators. Tall order, I know... jus' sayin'
braggslaw
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 : 10:15 p.m.
Disgusting...
trs80
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 : 1:39 p.m.
What Lokalisierung said. Well at least bubba will make his stay in the 8x8 as unforgettable as his actions with these young females was.
Lokalisierung
Wed, Jan 27, 2010 : 12:52 p.m.
See now this is a sex offender and all around sick person. THIS kind of person shouldn't be living 1000 feet from a school.