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Police: Albany Med student solicited teen boy for sex
By CHRISTEN GOWAN, Staff writer
Last updated: 1:45 p.m., Thursday, August 20, 2009
BETHLEHEM -- Police arrested an Albany Medical College student after he allegedly tried to meet a 14-year-old boy for a sexual encounter, police said.
Daniel P. Heeren, 24, of Carstead Drive, Slingerlands, was arrested Aug. 6 after a Bethlehem police officer posed as a teenage boy online, and Heeren allegedly set up a place to meet to have sex with what he thought was a teenager.
Police received a tip from a person who saw Heeren's ad on Craigslist soliciting encounters with young boys in Slingerlands. Heeren, a third-year medical student, was arrested when he arrived at the meeting place, the Panera Bread on Route 9W in Glenmont.
"Obviously once we got the call, our detectives worked aggressively on it," said Bethlehem Police Lt. Tom Heffernan. "We were able to make the arrest in a short amount of time." When Heeren was arrested at the Panera, police confiscated a sex toy, lubricant and condoms.
Heeren was formerly a member of the Delmar Fire and Rescue squads. He was immediately suspended following his arrest, Heffernan said.
This is the second time in less than a year that a medical student with connections to Albany has allegedly used Craiglist for illegal activities. Philip Markoff, a premed graduate of the University at Albany, was arrested in April as the alleged Craigslist Killer. Boston Police said he was using the online classified site to lure prostitutes to hotels to rob them. He is charged with killing one of them, as well.
During an interview with police, Heeren said he had also met a 16-year-old boy online from another town in the Capital Region last year. According the police report, Heeren said he had sexual contact with that teen twice. That teen has since been interviewed and given his statement to police, and that crime is being investigated.
"What's concerning us also is that going into the field of medicine, we're looking at the potential of how many victims we saved," Heffernan said. "Any patient could've been a victim."
According to public records, Heeren is originally from California and graduated in 2007 from Davidson College, near Charlotte, N.C. The school's Web site states that Heeren was inducted into the school's Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society in 2006.
Heffernan said Heeren rents the house with two other students from Albany Medical College.
Heeren has been charged with attempted rape, attempted disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held at the Albany County Correctional Facility without bail.
Times Union research director Sarah Hinman contributed to this report. Christen Gowan can be reached at 454-5350 or [email protected].
Last updated: 1:45 p.m., Thursday, August 20, 2009
BETHLEHEM -- Police arrested an Albany Medical College student after he allegedly tried to meet a 14-year-old boy for a sexual encounter, police said.
Daniel P. Heeren, 24, of Carstead Drive, Slingerlands, was arrested Aug. 6 after a Bethlehem police officer posed as a teenage boy online, and Heeren allegedly set up a place to meet to have sex with what he thought was a teenager.
Police received a tip from a person who saw Heeren's ad on Craigslist soliciting encounters with young boys in Slingerlands. Heeren, a third-year medical student, was arrested when he arrived at the meeting place, the Panera Bread on Route 9W in Glenmont.
"Obviously once we got the call, our detectives worked aggressively on it," said Bethlehem Police Lt. Tom Heffernan. "We were able to make the arrest in a short amount of time." When Heeren was arrested at the Panera, police confiscated a sex toy, lubricant and condoms.
Heeren was formerly a member of the Delmar Fire and Rescue squads. He was immediately suspended following his arrest, Heffernan said.
This is the second time in less than a year that a medical student with connections to Albany has allegedly used Craiglist for illegal activities. Philip Markoff, a premed graduate of the University at Albany, was arrested in April as the alleged Craigslist Killer. Boston Police said he was using the online classified site to lure prostitutes to hotels to rob them. He is charged with killing one of them, as well.
During an interview with police, Heeren said he had also met a 16-year-old boy online from another town in the Capital Region last year. According the police report, Heeren said he had sexual contact with that teen twice. That teen has since been interviewed and given his statement to police, and that crime is being investigated.
"What's concerning us also is that going into the field of medicine, we're looking at the potential of how many victims we saved," Heffernan said. "Any patient could've been a victim."
According to public records, Heeren is originally from California and graduated in 2007 from Davidson College, near Charlotte, N.C. The school's Web site states that Heeren was inducted into the school's Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society in 2006.
Heffernan said Heeren rents the house with two other students from Albany Medical College.
Heeren has been charged with attempted rape, attempted disseminating indecent material to minors and endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held at the Albany County Correctional Facility without bail.
Times Union research director Sarah Hinman contributed to this report. Christen Gowan can be reached at 454-5350 or [email protected].
