A 42-year-old Waukesha man has been charged with first‑degree sexual assault of a 5‑year‑old girl after the child and her mother stayed overnight in his tent, according to court filings. The defendant, identified in the complaint as James A. Friers, is being held on $100,000 bond and has been ordered to have no contact with the victims.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court and reported by The Freeman, the mother and her daughter stayed in a green tent with the man, identified as "Jim" in the filing, from June 17 to June 18. Afterward, the child told her mother the man had touched her private parts and later showed investigators on a diagram where she had been touched. The complaint also notes that investigators reviewed photos of the pair inside the tent, as well as images of the child sleeping.
The complaint states that the girl described Jim’s "creepy arm" and pointed to where she was touched. Detectives later met with Friers on June 24, when he denied touching the child, according to The Freeman. Friers voluntarily allowed detectives to view photographs on his cellphone, the complaint says, and he reportedly described one photo of the girl sleeping as "cute."
Charges and legal context
Friers is charged with first‑degree sexual assault of a child under 13, a Class B felony that can carry a sentence of up to 60 years in prison under Wisconsin law, according to FindLaw. Court documents also state that the judge barred him from possessing alcohol or drug paraphernalia and from having unsupervised contact with any child under 18. A status hearing is scheduled for July 22.
Where this happened
The complaint connects the tent stay to services the mother and child accessed that are tied to the Hope Center, a Waukesha nonprofit that operates a day center and family outreach programs. The Hope Center lists its office and day center at 101 W. Broadway and, according to its website, offers help with meals, clothing and shelter referrals for families in need.
The case remains under investigation, and prosecutors will determine whether to file any additional counts. Court records list the next hearing date as July 22. Authorities are asking anyone with relevant information to contact Waukesha County officials, and survivors or witnesses seeking confidential support can reach national resources such as RAINN.
