Ex-karate instructor charged with sexual assault in South Elgin, Roselle
A 43-year-old karate instructor is accused of sexually assaulting and sexually abusing four female students while working in South Elgin and Roselle, and police are looking for more possible victims to come forward.
Dean C. Fuerstenberg, of the 8500 block of Braxton Drive, Eden Prairie, Minn., was arrested in late August 2011 and charged by Roselle Police with sexually assaulting two female students from May 2001 through May 2006.
Kane County authorities also levied charges against him Tuesday.
According to the six felony charges from Roselle, the abuse began when one victim was 12 and Fuerstenberg was 32.
He is being held at the DuPage County jail on $700,000 bail, and he's due in court in Wheaton Feb. 29. The most serious charge he faces — predatory criminal sexual assault of a child — is punishable by a 6- to 30-year prison term with no possibility of probation if convicted.
Fuerstenberg has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A message left with his defense attorney was not immediately returned.
Roselle Police Detective Sgt. John Lawson said the investigation began in April 2011 after one victim, now in her 20s, came forward and told police she was assaulted and abused at martial arts meets and at the National Karate Academy of Martial Arts, 660 W. Lake St., Roselle., where Fuerstenberg was an instructor and part-owner.
“We did a lot of legwork,” Lawson said of the investigation.
A message left at the studio was not immediately returned, neither were emails and a phone message left at the National Karate Academy corporate office.
Lawson said Roselle detectives and investigators from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office worked with Eden Prairie police, who searched Fuerstenberg's home. He was later interviewed and extradited to DuPage County in August.
Lawson said police are hopeful they have identified all the victims from the Roselle martial arts studio, but urged other possible victims to call (630) 980-2025
Fuerstenberg does not face sex charges out of Eden Prairie, Eden Prairie Police Detective Chris Millard said Tuesday.
Authorities continued the investigation and Tuesday, a Kane County grand jury indicted Fuerstenberg on 10 more sex charges, accusing him of assaulting and abusing two female students between June 2003 and November 2005.
He is accused of using his position of trust and authority to sexually assault the girls, who were between 13 and 18 at the time, police said.
South Elgin Police Detective Sgt. Mike Doty said Fuerstenberg has not worked at the National Karate Academy of Martial Arts, 1272 W. Spring St. in South Elgin for “quite some time.”
Doty said he couldn't comment further on the case, but added that police are asking other potential victims from that time frame to call the department at (847) 741-2151.
“We will definitely follow up,” Doty said.
A message left at the South Elgin studio was not immediately returned.
In Kane, Fuerstenberg faces four counts of criminal sexual assault and six counts of criminal sexual abuse. The most serious charge carries a 4- to 15-year prison term if convicted.
His bond was set at $750,000 and he is due in court in St. Charles Feb. 3.