JON'S CELL: A Wisconsin County law enforcement officer recently quit his job after working more than four years with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department. The 34-year-old former deputy was accused of bringing a 15-year-old female to a Wausau wedding reception attended by coworkers, kissing the girl and giving alcohol to the teen.
An investigation was prompted after the man’s colleagues reported the recent incident to their employer. The ex-deputy initially stated his “date” was a 21-year-old woman who looked like the teen, but the high school sophomore confessed she was the man’s companion at the wedding. The two apparently met at a barbeque last month in the Wausau neighborhood where the deputy lived.
A criminal complaint said, by mutual consent, the deputy and the teen agreed to stay in contact through Facebook and traded nude photos. The complaint stated the minor claimed she and the defendant did not have sex, but WAOW reported the teen said the opposite in an interview. The Marathon County assistant district attorney later stated the “cooperative” former deputy finally admitted he had sex with the girl in his home.
A cash bond of $100,000 was set after the Wausau deputy was arrested. He faces three charges: child enticement, sexual assault of a minor and exposing his genitals to a child. With a conviction, punishment for the crimes could add up to a possible prison term of more than 68 years.
In Wisconsin, the age at which a person legally can begin to make adult choices is 18. A teen may agree to have sex at a younger age, but a minor cannot give consent until reaching the age of consent.
An adult who is unclear about this dividing line can be accused of serious crimes, even when a minor willingly engages in sexual activities. Criminal defense attorneys can help mitigate possible life-long consequences for defendants accused of child sex crimes.
Source: Wausau Daily Herald, “Coworkers turn in deputy in teen sex case,” May. 14, 2015
