THIENSVILLE, Wis. — A former third and fourth grade teacher and athletic director at a Thiensville Lutheran school has been charged after being accused of inappropriate contact with male students.
Daniel Rick, 36, resigned from Christ Alone Lutheran School on November 17, 2024, according to a criminal complaint, just two days after the Thiensville Police Department received a tip that he may have been involved in inappropriate behavior with a student.
Following an investigation with the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office, Rick was arrested on January 17, 2025 and charged with both child enticement and exposing a child's pubic area.
According to a criminal complaint, multiple students reported that Rick acted inappropriately with them. This included having the students sit on his lap, rubbing their stomachs, kissing them, and patting their bottoms.
One victim told investigators that Rick pulled down his pants to examine his pubic hair.
In the complaint, Rick says he justified his actions by saying "because I don't have kids of my own, there's part of me that wants that," and "I compare it to the story in the Bible and Jesus saying, 'Let the little children come to me.'"
Watch: Former Thiensville teacher charged with child enticement:
If convicted, Rick faces up to 28.5 years in prison.
The Thiensville Police Department says anyone who has information regarding this case is asked to contact the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office.
TMJ4 does not normally use mugshots in our news coverage, but we are in this case due to the potential for more victims to come forward. You can see our full mugshot policy here.
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