Wausau Police
David Faulkner
David Faulkner
A substitute teacher for the Wausau and D.C. Everest school districts is facing charges of child sex crimes, according to police officials.
David Faulkner, 50, was arrested Aug. 28 following an investigation into comments he made that he used his substitute teaching job to meet “freshly turned-18 males,” according to police reports.
Faulkner is being charged with child enticement, sexual intercourse with a child 16 years or older, and delivery of marijuana. He is expected to appear in court 2 pm Monday.
According to police records, Faulkner worked as a substitute teacher in the Wausau and D.C. Everest school districts. He also held the position of senior pastor at Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in Marshfield.
Police first received a report of Faulkner making comments about using his substitute teaching position to meet “freshly 18-year-old males” from a 26-year-old man who reported it to police. Investigators interviewed Faulkner in his home on the northeast side of Wausau about the comments on Aug. 24. Faulkner didn’t deny the comments but told police that he was having a bad day and didn’t mean them, according to police reports. He also told police of a relationship he was in with a younger male from Antigo, who had no connection to his work with the schools or church, police say.
Police interviewed that person two days later, and learned that he had been 17 years old when he met Faulkner on dating app Grindr and began a sexual relationship, according to police reports. Faulkner also supplied marijuana vaping equipment to the boy, police say.
Investigators say there is no evidence so far that Faulkner used his position as a substitute teacher or pastor for meeting younger males. Wausau School District officials say they removed him from their substitute teacher roster and he has been reported to the Department of Public Instruction for revocation of his license.
Faulkner worked as a substitute teacher for the Wausau School District intermittently since 2015, and for D.C. Everest since 2012. Both districts conducted extensive criminal background checks, Wausau District officials say.
The investigation is ongoing, police say.
