| Tue, Jul 19, 2005 Ex-teacher pleads guilty to sex charges Marshfield News-Herald A 57-year-old former Auburndale High School teacher pleaded guilty Monday to sex-related charges accusing him of improper activities with male teenage Auburndale High School students. Lynn A. Retz, now of 3633 Fairfax St. No. 102, Eau Claire, formerly of Marshfield, pleaded guilty to three counts of child enticement in Iron County and one count of child enticement in Wood County, said Martin Lipske, Iron County district attorney. Retz took one 16-year-old and two 17-year-old Auburndale High School students to a cabin on Boot Lake in the southern part of Iron County, according to the criminal complaint. The three former business students testified during a preliminary hearing in September 2004 that Retz exposed himself to them while they watched pornographic movies at a cabin. The three boys said each traveled with Retz to the cabin on separate occasions in 2002 and 2003. In November 2004, Retz pleaded innocent in Iron County to one count of sexual assault of a student by a school staff member, five counts of child enticement and exposing a sex organ and five counts of selling harmful material to children. In February 2005, Retz also pleaded innocent to a charge of child enticement in Wood County. The four counts of child enticement are "serious felonies," said Lipske, who added that the remaining Iron County charges were dismissed. According to the complaint in the Wood County case, in 1992, Retz befriended a then 17-year-old Auburndale High School student, and the two played tennis together. Retz had conversations with the 17-year-old about Retz's sexual experiences when he was younger and his current sexual experiences. Retz began masturbating in front of the student and asked him to perform sexual activities, according to the complaint. Retz was placed on administrative leave from his teaching job after the charges were filed. Auburndale Superintendent John Timmerman said Retz was no longer employed at the school. A presentence investigation was ordered Monday, and Retz's sentencing was tentatively set for Sept. 19, Lipske said. http://www.wisinfo.com/newsherald/mnhlocal/298634041380895.shtml |