MPS teacher accused of human trafficking, sexual assault re-arrested after release on bond
Christian Mothershead
MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee Public Schools high school teacher charged with human trafficking and second degree sexual assault/use of force was arrested Saturday, Sept. 7, after bond was set at $5,000 on Sept. 3 during the defendant's initial court appearance. New charges could come as soon as Monday, Sept. 9.
The arrest of Christian Mothershead, 46, a teacher at Hamilton High School, came days after his attorney disputed the charges filed against him Aug. 30.
"Christian Mothershead is innocent of all the charges that have been levied against him by the district attorney's office," said Joseph Seifert, attorney. "He vehemently denies the charges."
It wasn't immediately clear why Mothershead was arrested. Seifert told FOX6 he expected to learn more Monday.
Hamilton High School
Mothershead was placed on unpaid leave from MPS after charges were filed Aug. 30. According to prosecutors, Mothershead met a Filipino woman and her son online, and brought the woman and her children to the United States, where he promised to take care of her and get married. Instead, prosecutors said Mothershead met the woman and her son at the airport with cleaning supplies, and went to his West Allis home. According to a criminal complaint, "the house was very dirty," "had garbage piled up, and blackened food on the table."
The woman claimed Mothershead wouldn't feed her or her son if they didn't clean.
Joseph Seifert
During a press conference Thursday, Sept. 5, Mothershead's attorney disputed prosecutors' claims that the woman came to the United States under "false pretenses."
"Mr. Mothershead intends to fight the charges, all the charges, because they are simply not true," said Seifert. "The woman that's made the complaints is blatantly lying for the purpose of some immigration benefit. We haven't looked into that too closely yet, but we have some ideas as to what's going on there."
Online jail records showed charges pending Sunday.
A Sept. 23 preliminary hearing was scheduled in the human trafficking case.