VIDEO: School Employee Fired; Accused Of Having Sexual Relationship With Student 10pm 2/2/12

VIDEO: Sexual Assault 6pm 2/3/2012

UPDATED Friday, February 3, 2012--5:40p.m.
DODGE COUNTY--The superintendent of Beaver Dam schools said they fired an employee on Thursday morning and turned him over to police, after he was accused of having sex with a student.

He said they got a report of abuse Wednesday night and then conducted a rapid investigation on Thursday before firing 27-year-old Joseph Posthuma.

Posthuma had worked as a janitor for the district. He appeared in court Friday and is accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a child.

He allegedly had sex multiple times at his home with a Beaver Dam High School student. She was fourteen at the time of their first encounter.

The superintendent said their investigation is complete, but said their people services will be working in all the district's buildings with both staff and students. "Our job is to continue to do the appropriate research and background work to be absolutely confident that this was an isolated incident,” said Steve Vessey, the superintendent of Beaver Dam Schools. “And like I said, we have every indication that it was but we wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't continue to talk to kids and staff to make sure that that is indeed the fact."

In the criminal complaint, both Posthuma and the victim said the sex was consensual.

If convicted, Posthuma could face a hundred thousand dollar fine and forty years in prison.

Bail was set at $5,000 cash and Posthuma is to have no contact with minors or the Beaver Dam School system and its properties.
His preliminary hearing is set for February 16th at 3p.m.

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POSTED: Friday, February 3, 2012 --- 1:20 p.m.

From NBC 15's Rachelle Baillon:

27-year-old Joseph A. Posthuma made his initial appearance in Dodge County Court this afternoon.

He is charged with Repeated Sexual Assault of a Child, a Class C Felony. If convicted, he faces a up to a $100,000 fine, up to 40 years in prison, or both.

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Posted Thursday, February 2, 2012 --- 5:25 p.m.

From the Beaver Dam Police Department:

The Beaver Dam Police Department arrested a 27-year-old male today for Repeated 2nd degree sexual assault of a child and sexual assault by a school faculty member.

The information leading to this arrest was reported to a school liaison officer on February 2, 2012.

Information was received that the 27-year-old faculty member was having a sexual relationship with a student from the Beaver Dam Unified School District.

Our investigation indicates that the 27-year-old male employee had multiple sexual encounters, including sexual intercourse, with a student at his home over the past 1 1/2 years. The alleged victim in this case is a student of the Beaver Dam High School.

The suspect was arrested at approximately 11:15 a.m. at the Beaver Dam School District's Educational Service Center.

The Beaver Dam Unified School District reports the employee, who was a custodian with the district, has been terminated from employment.

His name is being withheld pending the filing of formal charges.

He is currently in the Dodge County Jail awaiting an initial appearance in Dodge County Circuit Court.

At the time formal charges are filed, additional information including the identity of the alleged suspect will be released.

There is no information about any other victims besides the one listed in this complaint.