Teen Accused of Sex Crime
Todd Pittenger - Wed 11:25 AM 04/04/2012
The arrest came after an investigation that began after a school counselor notified authorities.
A Salina teen is arrested in a sex case.
Police say that 14-year-old Brandon Hanchett was arrested on Tuesday. The arrest came after an investigation that began after a school counselor notified authorities.
Hanchett is accused of inappropriate sexual contact with a pre-teen female acquaintance. The alleged crime happened between February and April in Central Salina.
Hanchett was booked into the Saline County Juvenile Detention Center on a possible charge of aggravated criminal sodomy.
Kansas state law allows for the release of names of anyone age 14 or older who is arrested.
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pops67401
Wednesday 4 April 2012 13:30 Report this comment
I think it is dangerous ground publishing a minors name before being convicted. Especially now days with how sex is more prevalent in our youth.
Iamgonnagetu
Wednesday 4 April 2012 14:23 Report this comment
I totally agree. How about it Todd?
twisteddan
Wednesday 4 April 2012 14:33 Report this comment
As the father all I can say is that I greatly appreciate the fact that the first comments made on this very delicate matter were not negative....Because unfortunately that is usually the case. So thank you guys. As for KSAL..........I can't express my disgust for the media. I want to thank you for destroying any chance that he had at getting back to a normal life after getting the help that he needs. It is truely disgusting to see how far you will go for a story. Because, the only thing an article like this can provide is degrading a son for making a mistake and giving others the chance to talk S@#t about it.......SO.....REALLY.....THANKS!!!
HOMER
Wednesday 4 April 2012 14:40 Report this comment
I'll bet there is a lot more of this activity going on than most people think. Seems hard to find much blame in this case. Besides I can't believe a school counselor would be that young.
pops67401
Wednesday 4 April 2012 15:32 Report this comment
My opinion of KSAL has forever changed because of this. Horrible decision Todd Pittenger
tpittenger
Wednesday 4 April 2012 16:17 Report this comment
Kansas state law allows for the release of names of anyone age 14 or older who is arrested. It has always been our policy, dating back to before I became a reporter in 2000, to use them.
pops67401
Wednesday 4 April 2012 16:19 Report this comment
It may be a state law...But it doesn't make it right. The old saying that that's the way we have always done it doesn't make it right either.
getumgranny
Wednesday 4 April 2012 18:20 Report this comment
So basically, just because there's a law to protect you, it's ok to print whatever you want, even where a young person is involved. I'm guessing the "pre-teen" was 12ish, he's 14. Sounds to me like a couple young curious kids, like THAT'S never happened before!!! And let's not get started on these young girls and how they act and dress. I saw a girl at the store the other day, looked to be about 11-12, she had shorts on that left nothing to the imagination and a shirt that was showing off the rest. Kids seem to start so much younger with their sexuality these days, very sad. I hope everything will be ok for these kids and the families.
TomCallahan
Wednesday 4 April 2012 21:48 Report this comment
He's 14yrs old and capable of controlling his impulses. This young girl was robbed of her innocence. Justice is difficult, but fair. He needs to own up to his sin/crime and move on. He can't hide from himself what he's done. Show some remorse.
Iamgonnagetu
Wednesday 4 April 2012 21:55 Report this comment
Seems to me I read about another teen who was arrested and the article stated his name could not be released until he was formally charged. This is not the case here. Guess its who you are or who you know.
localskeptic
Wednesday 4 April 2012 22:03 Report this comment
I would have to agree with pops and granny, as I recall on numerous occasions Mr. Pittenger's reporting has not always been accurate or non bias. I have questioned Mr. Pittenger's judgement on many stories, and on this one, obviously no sense of judgement prevailed. Just because you have a journalism degree doesn't make you a journalist. Oh, and just because it's policy doesn't mean that it is always prudent to follow it. Please also remember that an arrest is not the same as a conviction. Sometimes, it's OK to break the rules. Kansas has some really stupid laws, this one ranks up there with shooting rabbits from a motor boat being illegal.
Iamgonnagetu
Wednesday 4 April 2012 22:05 Report this comment
Hey Tom as they say it takes 2 to tango. I agree with granny these young girls are dressing to leave nothing to the imagination. Kids have always been sexually involved but it was not as common years ago but still existed. Today kids have matured earlier. There was another case that happened when the boy was sixteen and they arrested him when he turned 18. If they pick up allthese young kids doing the dirty deed there is no room to house them all in jail.
SpeakinTruth
Wednesday 4 April 2012 23:03 Report this comment
This is a perfect example of why parents need to teach their children about laws. a lot of these kids don't know the law. and even though this maybe a simple little kids being kids thing, he might have thought twice if he knew what the law was for this and the penalty involved. parents dont wanna think they need to teach their kids this stuff, but it is life. just gotta accept it.
gueraloca
Thursday 5 April 2012 02:02 Report this comment
twisteddan, i hope your son can get back to his normal life as a sexual predator real soon. maybe you and your wife should care more about your kids and less about your new car and her fake nails. just goes to show you can polish a turd, but it will always be a turd. this kids parents both came from messed up houses and they dont know how to parent. thanks srs.
Realist
Thursday 5 April 2012 05:04 Report this comment
I can tell you that more than posting their name needs to be done to kids these days. As a parent of a molested child (by a teen) they get slaps on the wrist and the legal system gives them every right for their protection. Do not worry...your son will get all the protection he needs from the system, while the victims get thrown all over the place and get no answers or justice. So, Todd...I applaud you for posting what the community NEEDS to know!
getumgranny
Thursday 5 April 2012 07:10 Report this comment
Realist: I am so sorry your child had to endure such a horrible act!! I would suspect I would feel the same as you if I had ever encountered this situation. But, truth is, there has been MANY situations where the young people involved were innocently exploring without understanding the repercussion. I believe the names should be withheld until the justice system has had time to move it through the process, If it is discovered the young man is a pervert, by all means, put his name out there!! But, if through an investigation it's discovered it was "kids bein kids" you cannot un-ring that bell, you have destroyed a presumably innocent persons life.
dale
Thursday 5 April 2012 08:42 Report this comment
why did they have to release his name?,
dale
Thursday 5 April 2012 08:59 Report this comment
i agree kids today are maturing way too fast,what he did was wrong,but remember we were all young and curious,
Noob
Thursday 5 April 2012 09:30 Report this comment
A 14year old boy shouldn't be near a pre teen girl alone. This means she's 12 or under. I cant think of anyone to blame here but the parents. Teach your kids right from wrong and know what they are doing and where they are and this kind of thing wont happen. And I applaud Todd for posting this young mans name, Now parents will be aware of who their daughters are with.
GETALIFE674
Thursday 5 April 2012 10:37 Report this comment
noob do not applaud someone that jumped the gun. when this was posted there were no charges filed. suppose this turns out to be something entirely different and the kid is innocent. waiting a few days to print a name will not hurt anything.
moonman
Thursday 5 April 2012 13:20 Report this comment
another failed parenting job, congrats TWISTEDdan.
mandyson21
Thursday 5 April 2012 13:50 Report this comment
I know this family and they are very nice people. Why shouldn't they be able to have nice things? An old corvette.. really that's a big deal if they have 5 kids and work their butts off to take care of them? On the other hand, my son has been friends with Brandon since they were little kids, and we are shocked that this occurred, and cannot believe that he could do this??
mandyson21
Thursday 5 April 2012 13:51 Report this comment
Also, if one kid is bad, does that mean that the other 4 kids are bad? Because, one of his brothers is a great kid, and will always be welcome in our home.
betterthanu
Thursday 5 April 2012 14:59 Report this comment
Gueraloca...wow you are retarded...you are the one your mother should have swallowed...you have no idea what kind of parent these 2 people are...just because you have a rough child Hood does not make you a horrible person or parent...you are jealous that they have more than you will ever have...so here is a great idea...keep your mouth shut...and for the rest of you you can teach your kids about all the laws in world rather or not they follow it is a complete different story...bring me one kid or person that has not broken one law in their life...
MsSwayy
Thursday 5 April 2012 18:46 Report this comment
I go to school with him and it shocks me that this would happen. I think it was a HORRIBLE idea to post his name there is people already saying there going to beat him up because of this. Todd Pettingner you have possibly indangered his life. If he gets harmed in anyway I hope you feel guilty! Just because you can do something DOES NOT mean you should. Id also likke to say that he seemed like a good kid a little weird but overall he wasn't in anyway like this adults need to realize that your parenting most times has nothing to do with our choices its our surrounding environment. He made a choice I just hope no one takes it upon themselves to punish him. I may not have like him or been his friend, but this still shocks me beyond belief. - Swayy
dale
Thursday 5 April 2012 22:03 Report this comment
im actully starting to feel sorry for him
dale
Thursday 5 April 2012 22:10 Report this comment
im fraid the poor kid's gonna get a raw deal
katyc
Thursday 5 April 2012 23:02 Report this comment
All of you commenting on here are probably like, 40 years old or older, so let a 16 year old teenager tell you what really goes on, okay? Yeah, girls these days dress like prostitutes, don't get me wrong. Pressures from older kids and celebrities push that on a lot of us, making us want to be more independent and mature, but a lot of the time it's done in the wrong way. On the whole name publishing? Uh, I'm pretty sure if I were a parent, I'd want my kid staying away from another kid charged with sex crimes, as would any other normal person on the planet. It doesn't matter if people beat him up, the kid is being charged with sex crimes at 14. And if getting beat up doesn't teach him then I don't know what will.
gueraloca
Friday 6 April 2012 02:11 Report this comment
hey mandy and betterthanyou-just so you know i know both parents personally, and have for close to 20 years. i went to jr and high school with bj and worked with dan before he met her. i know bj, her trashy sister, and her retarded brother. as a matter of fact bjs brother just went thru a custody battle and srs wouldnt place the kids with bj. and as for dan, he is the best of the bunch in his family, and thats not saying much. his older brother got his kids taken away because he was abusive, and his little brother is the leader of the trench-coat mafia!! i could go on and on to prove im not talking out of my a**, but really your opinion of my opinion doesnt matter to me. us retarded people tend to be a little egocentric that way.
getumgranny
Friday 6 April 2012 07:27 Report this comment
katyc: Thank you for a teens opinion on this, I have often wondered what some of you young ones think about this stuff. I personally feel by the age of 10 and up, most generally, if there's been some parenting, they should know right from wrong. I suppose the exception would be if the young person was a little "challenged" in some mental or physical capacity. I wish the young folks would not grow up so fast, slow down kids, you have a whole life ahead of you to explore stuff. :)