Coach charged with abuse, false imprisonment

Florian Mahrt watched in disbelief Thursday morning as his geology teacher, fresh from a brief stay in jail the day before, walked toward his classroom.

“He was there with his briefcase looking like he was ready to teach the class,” Mahrt said of Sanford Kaplan, his physical geology teacher at Southeast Community College.

But when Kaplan got off the elevator at the downtown SCC building, he saw TV cameras outside his classroom and left, Mahrt said.

College officials said later they had hired a substitute to finish the quarter for Kaplan.

Later Thursday, Kaplan -- part-time college teacher, longtime youth soccer coach -- stood in a Lancaster County courtroom, straw hat in his hands, his attorney, Sean Brennan, at his side.

Judge Gerald Rouse read the charges against him: six counts of felony child abuse and one count of false imprisonment.

If convicted, Kaplan, 57, would face up to five years in prison on each count. Rouse asked if he understood his rights.

“Yes, sir,” Kaplan said.

He was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of 14 felony allegations, including abusing six teenage boys and touching two of them sexually. But prosecutors didn’t file sexual assault charges.

Asked Thursday if more charges might be coming, Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Amy Jacobsen said: “The investigation is still under way. Let’s put it that way.”

Rouse set Kaplan’s next court date for July 2.

Authorities say Kaplan -- who taught at SCC and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln -- had never been arrested before.

Lancaster County sheriff’s deputies began their investigation last week after a 15-year-old boy told a school counselor about an incident with Kaplan, according to court documents.

Authorities allege Kaplan bound, gagged and blindfolded teenage boys and suspended some of them from rafters in his garage.

Deputies searched Kaplan’s home May 6 and seized a digital camera, a computer, four denim jackets, duct tape and bindings consistent with what the boys said were used on them. Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner issued a request Thursday for parents of children who have had contact with Kaplan over the years to ask their kids if anything happened.

Wagner said he also is trying to find and interview foreign exchange students Kaplan has hosted at his home over the years.

Kaplan, who has held part-time positions at UNL since 1989, coached with Capital Soccer Association for at least 11 years and at Lincoln Northeast High School since the 2006 season.

Until Thursday, he taught two sections of geology for SCC.

Three SCC students interviewed Thursday said Kaplan was a good teacher, friendly and outgoing, and willing to work with students struggling to complete assignments.

“He was very thorough, answered questions,” said sophomore Julie Webb. “He seems to get along with almost everybody in class.”

Sophomore Lindsey Knox said college officials told her Wednesday they planned to allow Kaplan to return to the classroom Thursday.

“I was really surprised,” she said. “I’m just glad that they made the choice to get us a new teacher.”

Mahrt, who is from Germany, said he never noticed anything about Kaplan that might indicate a dark side, but he got uncomfortable when his teacher would invite him to coffee.

“I never took him up on the offer,” he said. “I told him I was busy.”