Zion elementary principal placed on leave after sex crime charges
A Zion elementary school principal placed on leave after he was charged last week with sexually assaulting a student at a school he oversaw in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
According to the Kenosha County court clerk's website, Curtiss W. Tolefree Jr., 42, of Kenosha, was charged Friday with three felony counts of sexual assault of a student by school staff and two misdemeanor counts of exposing his genitals to a child.
Tolefree is the principal at Beulah Park Elementary School in Zion. He has been with the district since 2018.
"Based on the information provided to the District, there is no indication whatsoever that the alleged criminal conduct involves District 6 or its students. Immediately upon learning of the charges, Mr. Tolefree was placed on administrative leave," Zion School District 6 Superintendent Dr. Keely Roberts said in a statement Monday.
Media reports indicate prosecutors in Wisconsin allege Tolefree sexually assaulted a 17-year-old female student beginning in 2008 during her junior year and throughout her senior year.
Last year, the Lake County News-Sun revealed Tolefree was under investigation for inappropriate sexual relationships with subordinates when he resigned from the Kenosha school district. That district school board took no action because Tolefree resigned. Tolefree denied the allegations.
According to court records, Tolefree is due in court to answer the charges on Jan. 2.