A 60-year-old Allouez piano teacher was convicted Friday of molesting a student during a piano lesson in May.
Donald Palmer offered a special plea to second-degree sexual assault of a child that allows him to maintain his innocence, but concede there in enough evidence for a judge or a jury to find guilt.
Palmer was arrested May 2 after a 14-year-old boy told authorities that Palmer had sexual contact with him during a lesson at Palmer’s Allouez home. Palmer posted bail but was arrested two days later and charged with bail jumping for calling the boy’s mother to apologize despite a condition of bail that forbid him from having contact with the boy or his family.
Palmer posted bail again and was arrested May 19 for allegedly pushing his 84-year-old mother down during an argument. He was charged with bail jumping and disorderly conduct for that incident.
Palmer posted bail but was arrested a fourth time on Aug. 27 after he was involved in a car accident and allegedly drank a large amount of vodka. His bail included a condition of absolute sobriety.
Palmer, on Friday, pleaded no contest to the felony bail jumping charge stemming from his call to the victim’s mother. The two other bail jumping charges and the misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge were dismissed as part of Palmer’s plea deal.
All three dismissed charges can be considered at his Dec. 18 sentencing hearing.
Palmer faces up to 46 years in prison.
After entering his pleas, Palmer asked to have his bail reduced citing a need to “re-establish his credibility” and deal with some health issues. Brown County Circuit Court Judge William Atkinson denied the request.
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