A former Plymouth High School teacher accused of sexually assaulting one of her students is due back in Fond du Lac County court next Tuesday, where she could accept a plea deal or head toward an October trial. Marcie Zimmerman, 43, has been held in the Fond du Lac County Jail on $250,000 cash bail since her arrest last year, and she now faces five felony and misdemeanor counts tied to an alleged relationship with a since-graduated Plymouth student.
According to Seehafer News, Zimmerman is scheduled to appear for a plea and sentencing hearing on August 11 — her first court date in five months — and will stand trial beginning October 8 if no agreement is reached. The alleged crimes took place in Fond du Lac County, where an investigation determined that Zimmerman allegedly sexually assaulted and raped the former student, per the outlet's reporting. Zimmerman resides in Fond du Lac County and remains in custody as the case moves forward.
Court records reviewed by Civic Media show the victim told investigators she was a 17-year-old junior at Plymouth High School in 2023 when the relationship began, alleging that sexual contact occurred at Zimmerman's home in St. Cloud in the Town of Marshfield. That criminal complaint was drafted after law enforcement interviewed the student in July 2025.
What Zimmerman Told Investigators
During an interview with Fond du Lac County Sheriff's deputies, reported by TMJ4 News, Zimmerman admitted to having sexual contact with the student on “less than ten and closer to five” occasions. She told investigators “she came onto me,” claiming the student initiated communication and frequently messaged her.
Zimmerman was teaching culinary arts at Plymouth High School at the time of the alleged relationship, and Plymouth School District Superintendent Scott Stier confirmed in August 2025 that she was placed on administrative leave during the investigation, according to FOX6 News Milwaukee. That confirmation came despite Zimmerman having reportedly told the student that she had already resigned. Before joining Plymouth High School, Zimmerman had served as an agricultural teacher at Reedsville High School.
Charges Expanded as Case Progressed
The case originally began with three counts filed in August 2025, but prosecutors filed an information document in November 2025 expanding the charges to five counts, according to the Plymouth Review. Zimmerman now faces two counts of sexual assault of a student by school staff, two counts of sexual intercourse with a child 16 or older by someone 19 or older, and one count of exposing a child to harmful material.
Zimmerman entered formal not guilty pleas to all charges in December, appearing before Fond du Lac County Circuit Court Judge Laura Lavey, according to Seehafer News' earlier reporting. The case then moved through status conferences and plea negotiations for months before Tuesday's scheduled hearing.
How Wisconsin Law Treats the Charges
Under Wisconsin Statute § 948.09, sexual intercourse with a child who has attained 16 years of age by someone 19 or older is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $10,000 fine, nine months in jail, or both per count, according to legal reference site Justia Law. Notably, lack of consent is not a required element for that charge under state law.
The more serious counts fall under Wisconsin Statute § 948.095, which specifically criminalizes sexual assault of a student by school staff, prohibiting sexual contact or intercourse between instructional staff and students aged 16 or older regardless of any alleged consent, per the Van Severen Law Office. That statute holds educators to a strict standard precisely because of the authority they hold over students. The Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault notes that the law allows prosecution under § 948.095 until a victim turns 45 — far longer than the three-year window that applies to most standard misdemeanor offenses.
District's Response and What Comes Next
Plymouth Board of Education President Bob Travis told a September 2025 board meeting that the district would conduct a thorough internal inquiry following Zimmerman's arrest in order to learn from the incident, according to the Plymouth Review's earlier coverage. District officials acknowledged taking initial steps toward that internal review after the criminal filing became public.
Zimmerman's bail was set at $250,000 cash during her initial appearance in August 2025, according to WRPN 93.1 The Wave, and that cash bond has kept her in the Fond du Lac County Jail throughout the case's progression. Whether Zimmerman accepts a plea agreement Tuesday or the case proceeds toward an October trial remains to be seen.
