Former Wis. Lutheran HS teacher pleads not guilty to child sex crimes

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A Waukesha man and former Wisconsin Lutheran High School teacher accused of sex crimes with a teenager pleaded not guilty on Monday, April 7.

Justin Liepert entered the pleas in Waukesha County court to charges of child enticement and sexual intercourse with a child 16 or older. Online court records show ten other charges of possession of child pornography are being reviewed by the court.

Case against Liepert

What we know:

According to the criminal complaint, a Waukesha police detective made contact on Nov. 24, 2024 with a 16-year-old juvenile victim. That person reported he had communicated with an adult male via an app called "Sniffies" between February and March 2024. That teen had also communicated with the same person on Snapchat and Telegram. The victim described the adult male "as a married, Lutheran school teacher," the complaint says. The teen indicated he met with the defendant "about three or four times," the complaint says.

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When the detective checked the defendant's Snapchat account, it was discovered that "he is a teacher at a Lutheran school." The complaint goes on to say "records showed the user explaining that he teaches 9-12 grade at a private school." It also shows "the defendant's receipt of several sexually explicit videos" from the teenage victim," the complaint says.

The detective interviewed the defendant on Feb. 13, 2025. The defendant advised he has a Snapchat and Sniffies account. The defendant indicated he did not have his Sniffies account because he deleted it a few weeks prior, the complaint says.

The law enforcement conducted forensics on the defendant's phone. It "revealed that the defendant's map application reported the defendant visiting (the victim's) residence" on one day in March 2024 and two days in May 2024.

Wisconsin Lutheran High School statement

What they're saying:

Landon Zacharyasz, principal of Wisconsin Lutheran High School, issued a statement on this matter on Tuesday, Feb. 18. It reads as follows: 

"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's role:

FOX6 News reached out to Wisconsin Lutheran High School to clarify Liepert’s title and role at the school. Officials said in 2020, Liepert was hired as a teacher at the high school. In June 2021, the school's previous librarian retired and Liepert had the background and qualifications to take on the role as librarian, to fill that vacancy.

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What's next:

Liepert is due back in court on April 23 for a preliminary hearing.