A 32-year-old Allouez man has been found guilty of several sex related crimes involving female students while he taught at three Northeast Wisconsin high school districts. Ryan Zellner heard the verdict read in Manitowoc County Circuit Court Wednesday by Judge Darryl Deets.
The “inappropriate behavior” occurred at Kiel, West DePere and Green Bay Southwest High Schools from 2003 to 2010.
At Wednesday’s plea hearing, the state and defense agreed to consolidate 28 charges in Manitowoc and Brown Counties to 11, in which Zellner pled no contest. A 29th misdemeanor charge in Calumet was dropped.
The 11 consolidated charges include child enticement causing a child who’s attained the age of 13 but not 18, to view sexual activity, exposing a child to “harmful descriptions,” sexual assault of a student by school staff, stalking, exposing a child to harmful material and use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.
Judge Deets has ordered a pre-sentence investigation that will include a “psychosexual” evaluation to be completed by April fourth. A “gag order” remains in effect until after sentencing which is scheduled for April 29. The state is recommending an initial confinement of 20-to-25 years. Zellner faces over 100 years in prison and nearly $400,000 in fines.
WOMT