Prosecutors: Milwaukee man targeted young men walking to school; offered to pay them for sex act
Donell Wilder
MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee man is facing charges after prosecutors say he targeted young men walking to school -- asking them if they had interest in earning some money. When they said "yes," and entered his vehicle, he would then allegedly drive them to a nearby location and request a sex act for money.
Donell Wilder, 32, of Milwaukee was charged with the following:
According to a criminal complaint, on Jan. 3, 2018, near 31st and Cameron, a victim, 18, indicated he was walking to high school when a man driving an SUV approached and asked him if he wanted to make some money moving boxes. He said "yes," and got into the SUV. That's when the suspect drove the victim to an alley and said he would give the victim $500 for a sex act. The victim said "no" and the suspect "got out of the car and came back with what appeared to be a handgun." That's when the victim said he ran to school. While waiting to tell the principal about what happened, a second victim revealed the same thing happened to him. The complaint says the 18-year-old victim was able to provide investigators with the suspect's license plate number, and the victim identified the suspect via a photo array.
The second victim, 16, said on Jan. 3, 2018, near 37th and Hampton, he was walking to school when a man driving an SUV approached and asked if he wanted to make money moving boxes. He said he got into the vehicle and the man drove to an alley and asked the victim if he wanted to make an extra $300 via a sex act. The victim said "no" and ran to school. The complaint says the victim identified the suspect in a photo array.
The third victim, 14, said on Nov. 6, 2017, near 25th and Townsend , he was walking home from school when a suspect driving an SUV approached and asked the victim if he wanted to make some money moving boxes. He got into the suspect's vehicle and the suspect drove to an alley and requested a sex act. The victim said "no" and the complaint says he punched the suspect in the face and ran away. The victim was able to identify the suspect via a photo array.
A fourth victim, 15, said on Sept. 21, 2017, near 13th and Clarke, he was walking to school when a suspect driving an SUV asked him what time it was. The victim said he didn't know because his phone was dead. The complaint says the victim began running and the suspect got out of his car and yelled "come here." The victim said he ran all the way to school crying. He was able to identify the suspect via a photo array.
Wilder was in court for a plea hearing on March 19. He pleaded guilty to three charges:
A sentencing hearing has been set for May 14.