Sidney sex offenders sentenced

Two Sidney men separately charged with felony criminal sexual assaults on a child were sentenced this week in Cheyenne County District Court.

Nathan J. Brauer, 29, was sentenced by Judge Derek Weimer to serve a term of 24 to 36 months in the Nebraska Department of Corrections after being found guilty on a Class IIIA charge of third-degree sexual assault on a child.

Court documents show that Brauer — between May 16 and June 16, 2011 – made advances and touched a child, who at that time was four years old.

Investigators interviewed the child, who gave enough clear evidence to bring Brauer in for questioning.

Brauer eventually submitted to polygraph testing, of which he failed. Brauer later told police he had committed the act, and was arrested.

Weimer did not give Brauer credit for jail time already served, and ordered the defendant to pay court costs and comply with the state’s Sex Offender Registration Act.

Brauer’s attorney, Maren Lynn Chaloupka, entered a motion of stay of execution of the sentence by reason of appeal, but Weimer denied the request.

Brauer is eligible for parole, with good time, after 12 months imprisonment, with a maximum term of 18 months mandatory release.

Cheyenne County special prosecutor Jean Rhodes handled the case for the State.

• Weimer on Tuesday placed Kenneth R. Steffens, 38, on 24 months of intensive supervised probation after being found guilty of criminal attempt of violation of the Sex Offender Registration Act, a Class I misdemeanor. Steffens was also ordered to pay court costs.

In a complaint previously filed by Cheyenne County Attorney Paul Schaub, Steffens failed to report in June. Steffens is required to register as a Nebraska sex offender for a period of at least 10 years — not to exceed 15 years — and to report monthly.

Steffens on Jan. 10 was sentenced to serve 180 days in Cheyenne County Jail by Weimer, after the defendant pleaded guilty to a Class IV felony count of attempted possession of child pornography.

Steffens was arrested Oct. 28, 2010, following an investigation by the Sidney Police Department.

Authorities learned Steffens had received — and maintained on his cell phone — a picture message of a female, who at the time was 16 years old.

Steffens’ arrest affidavit also indicated he had responded several times to the minor’s messages, in sexually suggestive fashion.