A Marion music teacher faces felony charges for alleged sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl in 2013.
Timothy A. Gast, 43, Shawano, is charged with repeated sexual assault of a child and three counts of child enticement – sexual contact.
On April 24, Marion Police Chief Kevin Schultz met with an 18-year-old student at the high school.
According to the criminal complaint, the girl told Schultz that four years earlier, her parents were going through a divorce and she needed to speak with an adult.
She said her band teacher, Gast, talked with her at school and gave her his phone number.
She said Gast later began sending her text messages that encouraged her to touch herself. He also texted her, suggesting she run away with him, the complaint says.
The texting began near the end of the girl’s eighth-grade year and continued until the beginning of her freshman year, she said.
The messages stopped after the girl’s mother saw some of Gast’s messages, prohibited the girl from texting her teacher, contacted Gast and threatened to report it if he did not stop, the complaint says.
She told Schultz her mother did not report the messages because she was concerned the girl would be ridiculed at school.
On May 3, the Marion High School principal met with Schultz and gave him a written statement from the girl.
In her statement, the girl said Gast had called her out of class on several occasions and taken her into the practice room where he kissed and fondled her.
According to Schultz, the girl came forward with the allegations after the Marion Police Department gave an internet safety presentation to students.
The Marion School District has placed Gast on indefinite suspension.
He appeared in court on May 5 and was released from custody after posting a $5,000 cash bond.