A local music teacher has been charged with several crimes for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl.
Zachary P. Wendt, 38, of Burlington, is charged in Racine County Circuit Court with two counts of sexual intercourse with a child, two counts of sexual assault of a child by a person who works or volunteers with children, three counts of possession of child pornography and one count of exposing intimate body parts.
Wendt is a teacher at Wheatland Center School and was immediately suspended without pay pending an investigation late Tuesday after school officials learned of his arrest, according Wheatland Joint 1 School District Administrator Marty McGinley.
In an email to parents McGinley said the incident did not involve any students at Wheatland Center School.
According to the criminal complaint filed Thursday, Wendt, who also teaches private lessons at the Musicology store in Burlington, initiated a relationship with the girl knowing she was 16 years old.
The two had engaged in “sexting” before Wendt allegedly picked up the girl at her home in March, took her to his apartment, provided alcoholic beverages and had sexual intercourse with her, the complaint states.
The complaint details a second incident in May or June in which the girl, who had been drinking, walked to Wendt’s home and continued to drink with him before they had sexual intercourse.
In November, Wendt allegedly contacted the girl and asked her to send him photos of herself wearing camouflage. An investigator who reviewed he photos noted that in several of the pictures the girl’s breasts were exposed and in one instance her genitals were exposed.
The complaint alleges that Wendt told the girl not to tell anyone about their relationship because he would lose his children.
Police executed a search warrant at his residence this week and confiscated cell phones and a laptop computer, according to the complaint.
Wendt made his initial appearance in court Thursday where a commissioner set a cash bond of $500,000. A preliminary hearing in the case is set for Dec. 16.
Additional coverage of the case will appear in the Dec. 16 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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