School employee took photos of student in bathroom: WI cops

A school employee is accused of taking sexually explicit pictures of a child in his care and posting them in an online chat room, Wisconsin authorities said.

Jonathan Burkee, 25, of West Allis, was charged Nov. 13 with five counts of possession of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of a child, court records show.

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According to the probable cause affidavit, FBI agents began investigating when pictures posted in an online chat room showed a child being touched by an adult in what appeared to be a school setting.

Authorities identified the girl in the photos as an 11-year-old student at St. Paul’s Lutheran School, where Burkee worked as a before-school childcare provider, records show.

“Jonathan Burkee was a non-teaching part-time staff member of St. Paul’s Lutheran,” Congregation President Jeff Reinhardt told McClatchy News in a statement Nov. 15 “As of November 9th, 2024, Jonathan Burkee is no longer employed by St. Paul’s Lutheran.”

“We have been and will continue to cooperate with the West Allis Police Department with their ongoing investigation,” the statement read. “Our primary focus at this time is providing our families and students with guidance and support as we navigate this difficult time.”

The girl identified Burkee as the person who took the photos, saying he would “take her into the family restroom at school to pull her pants or shorts down, and then take a picture,” according to the probable cause.

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Burkee told authorities executing a search warrant of his home, “I know what I did is wrong” and “Dad, I’m sorry; I have child stuff in my phone,” court records show.

Investigators found 17 videos and numerous photos depicting child pornography, court records show.

Burkee’s bail was set at $5,000, court records show. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 21.

West Allis is a 6-mile drive west of Milwaukee.