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Recognition_Lieutenant John Digman CERTIFICATE RECOGNITION of In April of 2007 the Dubuque Police Department took a report from a Dubuque County mother stating that in early 2006 her son met a man on-line and then met the man in Dubuque and was sexually assaulted at a hotel. Even though the case was over a year old, police were able to retrieve crucial data from phones and computers to help identify the suspect. Enough evidence was developed to secure a federal indictment and arrest warrant. A sting was set up to contact the suspect and officers “chatted” with him on-line. In May the suspect was convinced to return to Dubuque where he was arrested. In his possession at the time of arrest was a computer with hundreds of images of child pornography as well as equipment for producing child pornography. In April 2008 the suspect was sentenced to 31 years in federal prison. He admitted to meeting and abusing 13 other boys in four states, much in the same manner as the Dubuque victim. Sentencing Judge Linda Reade referred to the suspect as the most dangerous and prolific sex offender she had ever encountered in her court – state or federal. The first of its type in the area, this unique and complicated case was primarily investigated by the Dubuque Police Department Criminal Investigation Division with assistance from the FBI. A thorough investigation and team effort led to the successful conclusion of the case. However, because of the nature of the offense, the young man did not disclose the event for over a year and then only disclosed it to his counselor. Working with sexual assault victims is often a difficult part of an investigation. An officer needs to gather all the evidence and facts necessary to secure a conviction but must temper his actions with empathy, compassion and genuine concern for the physical and emotional well being of the victim and the victim’s family. Lt. John Digman was the assigned investigator in this case and his treatment of the victim and his family left an impact on them. The boy’s mother noted, “John treated us like we were important, not just a case to solve. He always had time for us and made us his priority. We felt respected and…everything was under control…we were safe in a very unsafe time.” Because of Lt. Digman’s work in this case, he was recognized by the US Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa and selected to receive their “Law Enforcement Victim Service th Award.” Lt. Digman was presented the award May 5 at the Grand River Center during the US Attorney’s Office annual multi-state conference. IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the City of th Dubuque to be affixed this 17 day of May, 2010. ________________________________ Roy D. Buol, Mayor Attest: ________________________________ Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC, City Clerk Digman honored for helping young sexual -abuse victim BY COURTNEY BLANCHARD TH staff writer cblanchard @wcinet. com A Dubuque police lieutenant was honored Wednesday for his work on a case that sent a former police of- ficer to.prison for sexually abusing 14 boys in four states. Lt. John Digman received the Law Enforcement Victim Service Award, Single Act Award, at the Grand River Center during a conference drawing law enforcement and prosecutors from Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The award was given by the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Iowa. Donald W. Rager, a former Chi- cago police officer, was sentenced to 31 years in prison following an . investigation sparked by a then - 13- year -old Dubuque boy. The boy reported in April 2007 that the year before, Rager contacted him in an Internet chat room and arranged to meet him in a Dubuque hotel, where Rager videotaped himself See AWARD, PAGE 2A JEREMY PORTJE • Telegraph Herald Dubuque police Lt. John Digman received the 2010 Law Enforcement Victim Service Award on Wednesday for his assistance to a victim of child sexual abuse. be held after 9 a.m. Saturday, May 8, with a memorial service following at noon. Corrected obituaries appear on Page 5C today. The TH regrets the errors. Advice 2C Iowa 6A Births 5C Movies 3C Business 5B Nation /World .. 6C Classifieds .. 1 -6D Obituaries 5C Comics 2 -3C Puzzles 3C Community .... 4C Record 5C Current 1C Weather 6B Illinois 6A Wisconsin 6A ©2010 Telegraph Herald 174th year, No. 126 2 to an estimated $12 million for Friday's drawing. TELEGRAPH HERALD 801 Bluff St. P.O. Box 688 Dubuque lA52004 -0688 (Area code in numbers below is 563) www.THonline.com Jim Normandin • Publisher 588 -5726 Brian Cooper • Executive Editor, 588 -5662 Marshall Johnson • Advertising Director, 588 -5754 Mike Newland • Circulation Director, 588 -5629 Randy Rodgers • Electronic Media Director, 588 -5686 CONTACT US General information 588 -5611 or 800-553-4801 E -mail THonline @wcinet.com Circulation services 800 - 562 -1825 or 588 -5620 Classified advertising 588 -5600 Toll free: 800 -562 -6014 Classified advertising fax 563 -588 -5782 Display advertising 588 -5616 Retail advertising fax AWARD: Digman credits the courage of the victim Continued from Page 1A having sex with the boy. Digman worked with the victim to build an "air- tight" case, while helping the child and his family during an ex- tremely painful ordeal, said Assistant U.S. Attomey Peter Deegan, who prosecuted the case. "With any child victim of sexual abuse, you don't want to make the situation worse for the child, but they're an important part of building the case," Deegan said. The boy had been victim- ized by a police officer, yet Digman, an officer, was able to gain his trust, said U.S. At- torney Stephanie Rose. Rose read a quote from the boy's mother. "John treated us like we were important, not just a case to solve. He always had time for us and made us his priority. We felt respected and like everything was un- der control, that we were safe, in a very unsafe time," she read. The case broke barriers for the Dubuque Police De- partment. Digman posed online as the boy, until Rager returned to Dubuque, where he was arrested. Digman said it was similar to the segment "To Catch a Preda- tor" on NBC's "Dateline" and launched a tactic that the department still uses to investigate such cases. Digman credited the courage of the victim to come forward and share his painful experiences. Child sexual -abuse cases take an emotional toll on everyone involved, including the in- vestigator. "When you look into the victim's eyes, you see the things that they're going through. And then you look into the family's eyes, those silent victims behind the scenes that are never really brought to the forefront, and you see what they're going through," Digman said. "To me, that's the driving force to do everything that you can." Rager pleaded guilty in June 2007 to interstate travel with intent to engage in illic- it sex with a minor, produc- tion of child pornography and interstate transporta- tion of child pornography. Prosecutors discovered that Rager was involved with a suspected child pornogra- 1/erl0• comfortable. Magk Mite Royal hurotop Tranquility hionar'it $299 $499 $699 $899 Queen Set (wean Set queen Set Quota Set pher from London. English authorities charged the Lon- don man. We customize comfortable for you.