BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- An Indiana University professor has been convicted of promoting prostitution and soliciting a prostitute.
A Monroe Circuit Court jury of six men and six women late Saturday convicted John R. Krueger on a felony count of promoting prostitution and a misdemeanor offense of soliciting a prostitute. It deadlocked and thus returned no verdict on a second felony count of promoting prostitution.
Krueger, 56, who pleaded innocent, testified Friday he did experiment sexually with prostitutes but did not run a prostitution ring.
'If there is a ring, I am its customer,' he said.
Krueger admitted he discussed sex and planned to pay for sex with two women who turned out to be police informants.
He said he discussed referring them to other men for sex, but added that discussion was only 'hypothetical and theoretical.'
Krueger, who is on leave from the university, said he never meant to 'hurt anyone' in his sexual experimentations, which he said began when he was in Scandinavia.
Defense attorney David Coleman said in closing arguments Krueger was singled out for prosecution because of his standing at Indiana University.
He said Bloomington 'doesn't have a sex ring. They have a few part-time hookers. Dr. Krueger didn't start a prostitution ring, he started a social life. Not just for sex, but for social contact for a very isolated man.'
Prosecutor Ron Waicukauski said Indiana law states 'commercial sex is illegal and they've carved out no exception for Monroe County. Evidence shows Dr. Krueger knew he was taking a risk. Now he's been caught. Will you hold him accountable?'
The felony conviction carries a maximum eight-year sentence. The misdemeanor has a one-year maximum sentence. Krueger was released on his own recognizance pending sentencing, the date for which has not been set.
Authorities said no students were involved in the ring.
Krueger taught Uralic and Altaic studies, which deal with languages in the area from Finland to Siberia, for 22 years.
