“Predator Sting” Defendant Gets New Attorney

The defendant in a court case resulting from an amateur “predator sting” has a new attorney, Benjamin Murray.Donald D. Boomgaarn Jr., age 25, of Fairbury, appeared in Jefferson County District Court on Thursday, March 6, 2025. David J.A. Bargen was the presiding judge.Boomgaarn is charged with attempted child enticement, a class 2 felony punishable by one to 50 years in prison. On October 16, 2024, the Jefferson County Dispatch received a call from a Houston-based vigilante organization called Predator Poachers Southeast Texas that conducts sting operations on adults who seek sexual activities with minors, advising that they had conducted such a sting operation in the Fairbury City Park and had an individual that they met there that they claimed was seeking to meet with a minor.All evidence that the organization had was turned over to the sheriff’s office, which initiated their own investigation into the matter. The defendant was previously represented by attorney Paul Payne, who expressed doubts about the legality of the charge. In a prior hearing, he pointed out that, according to Nebraska Revised Statute 28-320.02, in order to be found guilty, the person being “enticed” must be either 16 years of age or younger, or it must be a peace officer (law enforcement officer with arrest authority).According to County Attorney Joseph Casson, that is why the charge is attempted child enticement. The matter may prove to be a test case for Nebraska. Predator Poachers has conducted multiple stings in Nebraska but none of the related convictions have actually been for child enticement. Instead, in those cases, law enforcement conducted their own investigations and uncovered child pornography. That is not the case with Donald Boombaarn, who has not been accused of possessing such prohibited materials. Murray requested a continuance, noting the defense needs to work out the logistics of depositions, complicated by the fact that those needed to be deposed on in Texas.FJN has spoken with Alex Rosen, one of the individuals from Predator poachers, who he said testified in prior trials and was prepared to do so in this case as well. Judge Bargen granted the motion for continuance. Another hearing is scheduled for May 1, 2025.The defendant remains free on a $25,000 (10 percent) bond.

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