Crime & Safety

Charges in Curt Johnson Child Sex Assault Case May Expand to Include Incest

After being initially denied the amended information, the prosecution is trying again because circumstances with the victim have changed.

Prosecutors want to add three felony charges of incest by stepparent to the child sex assault case against Curt Johnson, according to documents filed with the court last month.

Johnson, one of the heirs to the SC Johnson fortune, currently . The state is now asking the judge allow it to amend the criminal complaint with the three new felonies. The District Attorney's Office first made the request Feb. 15, and Judge Eugene Gasiorkiewicz denied it because it missed the Jan. 23 deadline given during Johnson's Jan. 9 status hearing. The state has asked the judge to reconsider that decision.

Assistant District Attorney Robert Repischak wrote his office originally intended to file incest charges against Johnson. They decided on repeated sexual assault of the same child to help protect the victim and secure the victim's cooperation. Circumstances have changed, though, and now he believes, "that the victim will not fully cooperate with the prosecution in this matter, thus diminishing the plaintiff's need to 'pull its punches' in charging this case."

Find out what's happening in Mount Pleasant-Sturtevantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The state motion to reconsider says his office did not become aware of the victim's reluctance to cooperate until after the deadline had passed.

Further, through communications from the victim's attorney, Kathleen Quinn, the state's motion outlines that the victim will not accept a subpoena to appear, nor will she take one delivered by local law enforcement in the North Carolina town where she now lives. The state is "seeking the assistance of the local judicial system to procure this victim's return to Wisconsin to testify ... (because her) cooperation is now in doubt."

Find out what's happening in Mount Pleasant-Sturtevantwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The state also says the judge should grant its motion because:

  • The same victim is at the center of the original charge and the new charges
  • Testimony at trial will establish the relationship, something that is not unknown "to the parties"
  • The amendment request is not untimely because there is no new victim and thus, no new facts will come to play requiring investigation by either side

In closing, Repischak wrote he "believes the amendment reflects the true and complete nature of this case and the merits of the case should be litigated in total."

Each of the four felony charges carries a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison and/or $100,000 in fines.

Johnson was charged March 23, 2011 after he allegedly admitted to his therapist in Arizona that he inappropriately touched a young girl. That counselor reported the information to the Racine County Human Services who then contacted the Racine County Sheriff's office.

According to the criminal complaint, the girl told police Johnson touched her, kissed her and asked her to have sex with him numerous times over several years. Now a teenager, the girl said the abuse may have started when she was in sixth or seventh grade.

The case is making its way to an April 23 trial date. Attorneys on both sides are awaiting the after motions were filed because  allowed the victim to keep her medical records sealed and the door open for her testify. The prosecution wants the records released while the defense wants the victim barred from testifying if the records aren't released.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Mount Pleasant-Sturtevant