Kopetsky enters plea of not guilty to assaults

[Catherine]

"1 out of 10 students" - U.S. Department of Education

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060825/GPG0101/60825
0558

Posted August 25, 2006

Kopetsky enters plea of not guilty to assaults
Luxemburg-Casco's former band teacher faces 7 sex charges

By Kevin Boneske
Gannett Wisconsin Newspapers

STURGEON BAY — Former Luxemburg-Casco High School band director David Kopetsky on
Thursday pleaded not guilty to seven sexual assault charges he faces in Kewaunee
County Circuit Court.

Kopetsky, 37, of Luxemburg, appeared with his attorney, Jeffrey Jazgar, before Door
County Judge Peter Diltz, who conducted the plea hearing at the Door County Justice
Center.

Kopetsky has been accused of having sexual contact with a 17-year-old female student
between Jan. 28 and April 5. The seven felony counts against him allege "sexual
assault of a student by a school instructional staff person."

If convicted on all the charges, Kopetsky would face a maximum possible prison
sentence of 21 years of initial confinement. He remains free on bond with his next
court date being a pretrial conference set for Oct. 9.

Kewaunee County District Attorney Andrew Naze, who made his appearance at the plea
hearing via telephone from the Kewaunee County Courthouse, said the case against
Kopetsky is "not far off from settling" prior to a trial.

Court records allege Kopetsky and the girl both admitted to having sexual contact on
multiple occasions in the Luxemburg area. The sexual contact allegedly occurred at
Kopetsky's residence, at the high school and inside his truck. He is accused of
providing the girl with alcohol April 1 when an alleged incident with sexual contact
occurred.

With Naze noting he anticipated calling five witnesses, in the event the case
proceeded to trial, Diltz decided to set aside two days for holding a jury trial.

Kopetsky, who resigned from his teaching position effective May 12, became
Luxemburg-Casco High School's band director in the 2000-01 school year. He had
previously been a band instructor at Algoma since 1994.