In a case that has shaken a close-knit Ozaukee County school community, former Christ Alone Lutheran School teacher and athletics director Daniel Rick has been sentenced to one-and-a-half years in prison, followed by two years of extended supervision. The former third- and fourth-grade instructor admitted guilt earlier this year after prosecutors said he exposed his intimate parts to a student and had inappropriate contact with several elementary-age boys in his care. The sentence was handed down in Ozaukee County Circuit Court on Tuesday, April 7.
Court hands down sentence
According to FOX6 News, Rick pleaded guilty in January to one felony count of exposing intimate parts to a child. A separate child-enticement charge was dismissed and read into the record during that hearing. On April 7, the judge ordered Rick to serve 18 months behind bars, followed by two years of extended supervision.
Allegations detailed in the criminal complaint
The criminal complaint (PDF) filed in Ozaukee County lays out a series of disturbing allegations. It accuses Rick of selecting “favorite” boy students, having some sit on his lap while he touched their stomachs, rubbed their backs and kissed them, and, in one reported incident, pulling down a 10-year-old’s pants to check for pubic hair before telling the child not to tell anyone.
The document says Rick admitted to investigators that “what he did was wrong” and that he viewed pornography involving younger males. It also notes that during a January 2024 meeting with parents, Rick tried to frame his conduct in religious terms, reportedly saying, “I compare it to the story in the Bible and Jesus saying, ‘Let the little children come to me.’”
School response and community reaction
Rick resigned from Christ Alone Lutheran School on Nov. 17, 2024, after Child Protective Services alerted Thiensville police. School leaders told families that “student safety is a top priority” but otherwise declined to offer additional public comment.
Parents, however, voiced deep frustration with how they say the situation was handled, with one describing the school’s approach as a “hush, hush” response. Several families told local outlets they were weighing whether to send their children back to the school next year.
Principal charged with failing to report
In a related development, Christ Alone principal Mike Henning was charged in January 2026 with failing to report child abuse, after parents said they raised concerns about Rick as early as December 2023. Henning has been placed on administrative leave.
Spectrum News reported that the complaint against Henning alleges he spoke directly with Rick about the reported behavior but did not contact authorities. Henning’s initial court appearance was scheduled for January.
Legal context
The criminal complaint (PDF) lists child enticement as a Class D felony, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 25 years in prison. The exposing-pubic-area charge is described as a Class I felony, punishable by up to three years and six months. Rick’s guilty plea on the exposing-intimate-parts count is what led to the 18-month prison term and two years of extended supervision announced this week.
Investigators are still asking anyone with information to contact the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, and local reporting has highlighted a tip line for Investigator Karsen Frame. Coverage also shows that Rick’s case was handled in Ozaukee County Circuit Court. WISN 12 News
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