Trial set for August on Hastings man’s sexual assault charge

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - A Hastings man has pleaded not guilty to a sexual assault charge in Adams County.

Lane Wecker, 24, entered a not guilty plea back in March on a charge of first-degree sexual assault of a minor with the victim’s age between 14 and 18 at the time.

Adams County District Court records said a pre-trail hearing is set for July 20 at 1 p.m. and the jury trial is scheduled to begin on August 14 at 9 a.m. and last a week.

Wecker’s arrest came back in February of this year after Hastings Police were asked to investigate a referral from the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the arrest affidavit, during an interview with Hastings Police, Wecker admitted to going to the victim’s home and having sex with her.

Wecker is a registered sex offender.

According to Dawson County District Court documents, Wecker was convicted of attempted first-degree sexual assault of a child in 2020. He was sentenced to serve four to six years and put his name on the sex offender registry for 25 years. He was paroled in April 2022 from Tecumseh State Correctional Institution.

An Adams County District Court judge has set his bond at 10 percent of $250,000. He’s also not allowed to have contact the victim or anyone under 18 unless it’s a family member. He’s also not allowed to posses or consume drugs or alcohol.