SAWYER COUNTY -- A former Sawyer County priest has entered pleas in Sawyer County Circuit Court regarding his criminal charges of sexually assaulting alter boys.
DrydenWire.com reported on November 20, 2018, that Thomas Ericksen, a former priest, was facing criminal charges of sexually assaulting alter boys during his time at St. Peter’s Parish in Winter, WI. The criminal complaints filed against Ericksen state that during interviews with investigators Ericksen acknowledged fondling multiple boys while at St. Peter’s in Winter, WI as well as at other parishes throughout Wisconsin, including Rice Lake, WI and Rhinelander, WI.
Online circuit court records show that a total of four (4) criminal complaints were filed against Ericksen in Sawyer County Circuit Court, charging him with two (2) counts of Class C Felony 2nd Deg. Sex. Assault/Unconscious Victim, Class C Felony 2nd Deg. Sexual Assault-Against Child, and Class B Felony 1st Deg. Sexual Assault-Against Child.
Ericksen appeared for a hearing on June 11, 2019 and the Court accepted his plea of No Contest to Class C Felony 2nd Deg. Sexual Assault-Against Child, and Class B Felony 1st Deg. Sexual Assault-Against Child.
The charges of Class C Felony 2nd Deg. Sex. Assault/Unconscious Victim were dismissed but read in.
In addition, Ericksen entered an admission with the Court regarding two (2) uncharged incidents in Lincoln County, WI. According to online circuit court records, Ericksen told the Court that he doesn’t “remember the offenses in Lincoln County, but that he accepts”.
- Read the original article: Former Wisconsin Priest Charged With Sexually Assaulting Altar Boys In The 1980’s
Last Update: Jun 12, 2019 10:47 am CDT
