York County sheriff’s deputies broke up an underage drinking party in rural Nebraska this past weekend and found 28 minors packed into a barn loft, along with a 51-year-old man who authorities say had hidden himself behind a movable wall in a concealed room. Chad Stuhr now faces a string of charges, including second-degree sexual assault of a child, after investigators say he was the only adult present at the gathering.
Deputies Responded to Reports of a Homecoming Party Gone Wrong
According to centralnebraskatoday.com, deputies with the York County Sheriff’s Office responded at approximately 10:42 p.m. on Oct. 10 after receiving multiple reports of an underage drinking party following a school homecoming event. The home where deputies responded, located at 1512 Road U, was owned by Stuhr, the outlet reported. What began as a routine call about teens drinking soon escalated into a much larger investigation once deputies arrived at the rural property.
Deputies obtained a search warrant for the property, and at approximately 1:38 a.m. on Oct. 11, they executed it with help from troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol, per the same account. Inside the barn loft, law enforcement located 28 minors along with numerous alcoholic beverage containers, centralnebraskatoday.com reported. Multiple juveniles told investigators that Stuhr was the only adult present at the party, according to 1011now.com.
Suspect Found Hiding Behind a Movable Wall
As deputies searched the barn, they say they found Stuhr hiding inside a concealed room behind a movable wall, and he was taken into custody, 1011now.com reported. The discovery of the hidden space added an unsettling detail to what was already an unusually large party bust for the rural county.
Authorities also allege that Stuhr had been drinking alcohol at the party and that his behavior toward young girls there was “uncomfortable or inappropriate,” according to wowt.com. The sheriff’s office said investigators believed Stuhr had “inappropriate contact with a juvenile at the party,” the station reported.
Search Turns Up Weapons, Mushrooms and Stolen Property Allegations
The search of the property uncovered numerous alcoholic beverages, marijuana, a bayonet and approximately 62.7 grams of suspected psilocybin mushrooms, according to centralnebraskatoday.com. The full scope of items recovered painted a picture investigators are still working to piece together.
Stuhr was arrested and lodged on charges that include possession with intent to deliver psilocybin or psilocin, second-degree sexual assault of a child, and possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, according to klkntv.com. Additional charges reported by centralnebraskatoday.com include procuring alcohol for a minor, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, theft by receiving stolen property, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. As reported by Hawaii News Now, Stuhr also faces child abuse charges tied to the incident.
Under Nebraska law, second-degree sexual assault of a child is classified as a Class II felony for a first offense when the actor causes serious personal injury, according to the Nebraska Legislature. The York County Sheriff’s Office said the case remains under active investigation, per centralnebraskatoday.com, and is asking anyone with information to come forward.
