APPLETON — A former community service officer
with the Appleton Police Department admitted to having sexual contact with two
underage teens and has been charged with sexual assault, authorities said.
Tyler
A. Jochman, 19, of Appleton, is charged with second-degree sexual assault of a
child and a misdemeanor count of having sex with a child who is 16 or older.
Jochman appeared in court Tuesday and was released after posting a $5,000 bond.
Jochman
resigned from the department on Monday.
The
Appleton Police Department was notified of the allegations on May 8 and asked
the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department to conduct the investigation, police
said. Jochman was arrested the following day.
Jochman
said he met one of the girls, who was older than 16, through the Appleton
Police Explorers, a program for 14- to 21-year-olds who want to learn more
about a career in law enforcement. Jochman said he has been a captain with the
Explorers for five years, according to the criminal complaint filed Monday.
The
Appleton Police Department oversees the program, but Jochman’s position with
the Explorers wasn’t paid or appointed by the department.
The
older girl told police she and her 15-year-old friend went to Jochman’s
apartment one night in late April to watch movies, the complaint stated. The
younger girl went into Jochman’s bedroom at one point because she was depressed
about a recent break-up, she told police. After Jochman kissed and fondled the
older girl, he went into his bedroom to check on her friend, police said.
At
that point, the younger girl said Jochman kissed her and forced her to perform
a sexual act, the complaint stated. The girl told police she was uncomfortable
and wanted to say no, but she felt she could not because he was older and was a
community service officer.
When
a sheriff’s investigator spoke with Jochman, he said he made a mistake and did
not originally intend to have sexual contact with the teens.
Jochman
has worked for the Appleton Police Department since June 2013. Community
service officers are not sworn police officers. They are responsible for
assisting the department with civilian duties, police said.
Jochman
is scheduled to return to court June 20 for a preliminary hearing.