Police seek more victims, suspects in assault case

VERSAILLES, Mo. -- Mid-Missouri authorities have widened their investigation to identify more victims and possible suspects in the case of a Gravois Mills man who allegedly videotaped sexual acts he had with unconscious young men.

The Lake Ozark Major Case Squad was activated Thursday to investigate the case, said Dan Cable, squad spokesman. The FBI is assisting the case, which may eventually produce a federal child pornography charge because at least one of the victims may be under 18, spokesman Jeff Lanza said.

"With numerous individuals that could be connected to the case involved, we needed more officers," Cable said. "We just want to talk to anybody that might know anything related to Mr. Gary S. Lahmeyer."

Lahmeyer faces one charge of deviate sexual assault. He was arrested Nov. 3, following an investigation started by Sedalia police, who had obtained videotapes allegedly showing sexual activity Lahmeyer had with between 12 and 15 young men, authorities said.

When police learned that Lahmeyer lived near Gravois Mills, about 35 miles southwest of Jefferson City, they transferred the case to Morgan County.

Lahmeyer is in the Morgan County Jail on $150,000 bond.

Morgan County Sheriff Jim Petty said last week that authorities had identified five of the dozen or so young men Lahmeyer allegedly assaulted. Cable said he couldn't confirm any progress in the case since a new investigation is now under way.

"We're starting at square one with the investigation going and looking back at the information," Cable said.

"We're working on this to see if there are any other victims out there." Cable said authorities didn't know if there were other suspects.

A preliminary hearing for Lahmeyer is scheduled for later this month.

The first victim told authorities the incident happened in the summer of 2000 at Lahmeyer's house, where he and other boys were given alcohol, marijuana and the drug ecstasy.