St. Charles teacher charged with sexual abuse of minor

According to court documents, the victim said her interactions with the teacher started when she was 15 years old.

Photo bySt. Charles County Dept. of Corrections

ST CHARLES, Mo. — An educator from St. Charles is being accused of sexually assaulting a young person over an extended period.

John Warnecke is being prosecuted for three counts of sexual sodomy in the second degree. He teaches 6th grade math and science at Jefferson Intermediate School and has also served as a coach for both baseball and softball.

In legal records, the St. Charles County Attorney's Office reported that Warnecke initially communicated with the underage victim via social media in 2020, when she was 15 years old, as stated by the victim's account.

The victim mentioned in her account that during her initial online exchanges with Warnecke, who was 49 years old at the time, she clearly disclosed her age to him. Despite this disclosure, their conversations continued, leading to a face-to-face meeting.

The victim also disclosed that she had sexual encounters with Warnecke on a consistent basis until the summer of 2023.

In a statement of probable cause, the victim reported that during a recorded police interrogation, Warnecke confessed to engaging in acts of statutory sodomy.

Warnecke later confessed in a police interview that these sexual activities took place while the victim was below the age of 17, according to the police.

He was arrested Tuesday and held at the St. Charles County Jail on a $75,000 bond.

The St. Charles School District issued a notice to the community, stating that the police had informed them of a teacher at Jefferson's arrest and charges related to sexual misconduct with a minor. They emphasized that the safety of the students and staff remains their utmost concern. They also mentioned that the State of Missouri mandates all school district employees to complete the Family Cares Safety Registry and undergo background and fingerprint checks through the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

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