WAUKESHA, Wis. — A former high school teacher faces multiple charges for engaging in sexual activity with a teenager.
35-year-old Justin Liepert of Waukesha was a teacher at Wisconsin Lutheran High School when he met the 16-year-old male working late on a theater production at school. He then messaged the teen to meet for sex using dating and social media apps from February to May 2024.
Liepert also used the apps to send sexually explicit videos to the teen.
Landon Zacharyasz, principal of Wisconsin Lutheran High School, issued the following statement on February 17:
On Friday, February 14, our administration was informed by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department that a WLHS employee was in custody due to illegal activity. The employee was absent from school on Friday and will not be allowed back on the premises.
We have since terminated this person’s employment with WLHS, as he has been charged with illegal activity that grievously violates the terms of our code of conduct at WLHS.
While we have no reason to believe the situation involved any WLHS students, we pray for any victims. Our school family is stunned and saddened by this discovery. We turn to our Savior to find strength and comfort, knowing he is with us during this difficult time.
The safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community is our highest priority. We want to assure our community that all hiring decisions include thorough reference and periodic background checks as required by DPI and robust evaluations. All candidates must meet the high standards expected at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. We share our expectations regarding our standards of conduct with all employees and execute regular trainings to ensure they are understood in practice.
Wisconsin Lutheran High School remains committed to its mission of preparing young adults for productive, Christ-centered lives in a diverse world.
Liepert was arrested and made an initial appearance in court on February 17. He’s charged with felony child enticement – exposing genitals/pubic area/intimate parts as well as 3 counts of misdemeanor sexual intercourse with child 16 or older.
Cash bond was set at $5,000 and his preliminary hearing is set for March 19.
