Tim Ryan tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
A Wittenberg man arrested Thursday in a computer sex crime sting was identified Monday as an employee of the Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District.
David Yaeger, 49, transportation manager at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School, was charged Monday with a felony count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.
Yaeger was taken into custody shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday in the town of Belle Plaine, where he had allegedly arranged a sexual rendezvous with what he believed was a 15-year-old girl.
Shawano County sheriff’s detectives posing online as an underage girl as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force exchanged texts and emails with Yaeger for three months in communications that became sexually graphic in nature before Yaeger allegedly set up a meeting, according to the criminal complaint.
He was taken into custody when he arrived.
Yaeger was ordered held on a $5,000 cash bond at his initial court appearance Monday before Judge James Habeck. His attorney indicated Yaeger would waive his preliminary hearing in the case.
He was scheduled for arraignment on March 27.
District Attorney Greg Parker had requested a $20,000 cash bond due to his position in the school district.
“This person has direct access to a number of children,” Parker said.
Defense counsel Stephen Menard said Yaeger has no expectation of returning to the school district or to his other work as a paramedic.
“He will be terminated,” Menard said. “He doesn’t intend to return to work.”
Wittenberg-Birnamwood School District Superintendent Garrett Rogowski, however, said in an interview that no decision has been taken on any action regarding Yaeger. He said that decision would be reached after consulting with the district’s legal counsel.
Rogowski also said Yaeger had limited interaction with students in his capacity as transportation manager, though he did drive some of the bus routes on a substitute basis when needed.
Rogowski said there have been no previous complaints or concerns raised about Yaeger.
“This is truly a surprise to all of us,” he said.
Rogowski said the district would provide the support necessary to keep district transportation running smoothly, and would provide families with updates on how transportation is being handled.
He also wanted to assure parents that the district takes the safety of their children seriously.
“We’ll make sure we take all measures necessary to keep that promise,” he said.
Yaeger’s arrest brings to 51 the number of men arrested by Shawano County authorities in online sex sting operations over the past three years, according to sheriff’s department records.
Detective Sgt. Gordon Kowaleski said he continues to be amazed at the number of suspects who arrange these underage meetings, even in the face of news coverage about the sex stings.
“The people we deal with are wise to that,” he said. “They know these sting operations are out there.”
Text exchanges included in the criminal complaint show Yaeger asking at least twice whether the supposed 15-year-old was really a cop.
He also expressed misgivings about what he was doing because of her age, but continued the exchanges anyway, according to the complaint.
The exchanges began on Dec. 14 and continued through March 9 when Yaeger was arrested.
Kowaleski said he was unaware until after the arrest that Yaeger was a school district employee.
“Any time you have a suspect, and that person holds a position where they interact with children, I think that justifies what we do,” he said.
Yaeger could face a maximum possible penalty of 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine if convicted.