Kropf charged with child sexual assault

James M. Kropf, 44, Merrill, was charged May 5 with a felony charge involving the sexual assault of a child in relation to two incidents between September 2021 and April 2022.

If convicted, Kropf faces $100,000 in fines and 40 years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint, a Shawano County deputy received a call from Child Protective Services regarding a girl in Kropf’s care, aged 10. CPS reported that the girl told them that Kropf touched her in the swimsuit area. The daughter lives with her mother and has visitation with Kropf on weekends.

In an interview with the daughter’s mother, the mother was allegedly surprised and unaware of the circumstances. She told law enforcement that visits with the child’s father are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are supervised by Kropf’s mother.

In an interview with the child, the child described two instances where Kropf touched her chest in an inappropriate manner. She stated that both of the instances took place at Kropf’s mother’s home. When wrestling on the ground, the child said that Kropf touched her chest over her clothes and she told him to stop, which she also said Kropf mimicked. The child also described a similar situation for the second time it happened.

In getting into contact with Kropf, he stated that after talking with his parole officer, the decision was made to turn himself in. He allegedly admitted to wrestling with the child in the living room and said that the child never expressed that she was uncomfortable. He stated several times that he does not touch her inappropriately. He added that his mother was allegedly in the room at the same that these wrestling matches occurred.

He stated that he tickles the child on the rib and and rubs the center of her chest with his knuckle to give her a “nuggy.” He stated that there is no sexual intention with these actions.

In an interview with Kropf’s mother, she stated that the two do wrestle and that the only thing she has been concerned about is the roughness at times and that she has never seen Kropf inappropriately touch the child. She added that there hasn’t been a time where the child walked away upset and that she did not believe that any touching was intentional.

According to Wisconsin Circuit Court Access, Kropf pleaded guilty in 2015 in Marathon County to one count of child enticement (sexual contact) and one count of intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child.

Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge Katherine Sloma set a cash bond of $50,000 and scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 15.