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Child sex crimes in West Allis; police say victim was photographed at school
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Child sex crimes in West Allis; police say victim was photographed at school

A West Allis man is charged with sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography — and prosecutors say he took explicit photos earlier this year of a victim at St. Paul Lutheran School .

Prosecutors charged Jonathan Burkee, 25, with six felonies in the case. Court records indicate the crimes took place between June 11 and November 9 of this year.

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In early November, an undercover FBI online employee contacted West Allis police about a possible child sexual abuse material case. Photos had been posted on an online chat room “dedicated to deviant sexual interests, including sexual interest in children,” according to a criminal complaint. Although the photos in question are not considered child sexual abuse material, they appear to have been taken inside a school.

Prosecutors said the FBI was able to identify the child in the photos as an 11-year-old student at St. Paul Lutheran School near 76th Street and Lincoln. Allis West. A West Allis Police detective contacted the child’s mother, who confirmed that some of the photos in question were of her child. The mother believed Burkee, who would watch the children before school started at St. Paul Lutheran School, took the photos.

The complaint later said the 11-year-old victim identified himself in the photos. The victim told investigators that Burkee took the photos in question, and also said Burkee would “take him into the family bathroom at school to pull down his pants or shorts and then take a picture.” She also said he would take photos of her at his house.

FOX6 News reached out to St. Paul Lutheran School for comment on this story but did not immediately receive a response.

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West Allis Police and the FBI executed a search warrant at Burkee’s home on Saturday, November 9. Prosecutors said that before the warrant was read aloud, he “said something that sounded (sic) like ‘I know what I did was wrong.’ ; I have to go to the bathroom; I have kids’ stuff in my phone.'”

A search of Burkee’s cell phone revealed several nude photos of minors in the deleted photo gallery, according to court filings. Two of those photos were “obviously” of the child attending St. Paul Lutheran School. In total, the police found “numerous” images and videos of sexual abuse of various children on the cell phone.

Burkee appeared in court Wednesday and his bond was set at $5,000.