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Suspect dished to federal agent online

Scott Schweickert, accused of helping drug two men who were killed, explained how to do it.

By CARRIE WEIMAR
Published January 12, 2007

TAMPA - Scott Schweickert thought he was chatting on-line with a young gay man who wanted to learn more about the torture and bondage underworld.

Instead, he was revealing secrets to an undercover Drug Enforcement Administration agent who would later use those comments to build a criminal case against Schweickert.

In his America Online chats with DEA agent Scott Albrecht, Schweickert advises him to use a combination of GHB, which is a central nervous system depressant, and a cleaning solvent called Maximum Impact to force unwilling victims to submit sexually.

"He will be out, yes," Schweickert writes, using the screen name MsterScott. "Long enough to get him bound, gagged and naked."

Jurors reviewed the transcripts of those chats Thursday as part of the prosecution's case against Schweickert, who is on trial for conspiracy and assisting in a drug-facilitated crime of violence. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 60 years in prison.

Authorities believe Schweickert and his alleged accomplice, Steven Lorenzo, used the same combination of drugs mentioned in the chats to subdue Jason Galehouse and Michael Walchholtz, both 26, who were tortured and killed.

A federal jury found Lorenzo guilty in November 2005. He was sentenced to 200 years in prison.

In his chats with Schweickert, Albrecht used the screen name SubSkippyTPA to pose as a 32-year-old submissive male who wanted to learn how to dominate his friends. He addressed Schweickert as "sir." Schweickert called him "boy."

Jurors also reviewed transcripts Thursday of instant message chats between Schweickert and Lorenzo, who used the screen name DomDudeforSub.

The pair first made contact in October 2003, when Schweickert sent Lorenzo an e-mail asking for advice on kidnapping and dominating a young Tampa man they knew as Johnny Torture.

"If you would care to participate or help in any manner, please let me know," Schweickert wrote.

The two quickly struck up an online friendship, sometimes chatting until 5 a.m., about finding unsuspecting victims and making them into sexual slaves.

At the time, Schweickert had recently moved from his hometown of Peru, Ill., to Orlando and was taking classes to become a personal trainer. He told Lorenzo he looked forward to working in a gym and seducing men who were working out alone at night.

The pair also discussed trolling high school football practices or college campuses for victims. They spoke extensively about setting up a "dungeon" in a remote location where they would lure men and turn them into sexual slaves.

"It is scary to think what we could accomplish together if this works out," Schweickert wrote.

At one point, Lorenzo talks about making their victims vanish without a trace.

"A man after my own heart," Schweickert replied. "I knew I would like you."

Carrie Weimar can be reached at 813 226-3416 or cweimar@sptimes.com.

[Last modified January 12, 2007, 05:49:00]