Nov. 10, 2023 12:15p
(WGTD)---The orchestra teacher at Indian Trail High School in Kenosha is facing charges for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student.
27-year-old Nathan Gardner was charged this week with use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, exposing a child to harmful materials and descriptions, possession of child pornography and child enticement. Gardner has been released on a $30,000 bond.
According to the criminal complaint, Gardner in 2021 met a then 15-year-old Indian Trail student online. It appears that the Indian Trail connection was a coincidence.
The pair allegedly started exchanging inappropriate messages and photos.
The complaint alleges the two met in person outside of school--the one and only time--in spring of 2022. That contact allegedly occurred near the victim's home in the defendant's car.
The online contact continued to occur even after the boy transferred to another school last year.
This fall the victim’s friends went to a teacher to disclose the inappropriate relationship, and that’s when the sheriff’s department got involved.
The complaint said the friends felt bad about breaking the boy’s trust, but said they wanted to protect him and didn't want anyone else to get hurt.
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