Wisconsin high school coach convicted of abusing student privacy in locker room for decade

A former Wisconsin high school coach has been sentenced to nearly four decades in prison for secretly recording dozens of students as they changed in school locker rooms.

The truth was first revealed when a student at Craig High School noticed her friend's missing briefcase in a locker secured by a school administrative lock.

A hidden GoPro camera was discovered upon further investigation, setting off a chain of events that would ultimately lead to Brian Kitzman's downfall.

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The school resource officer was immediately notified, and within hours, the Janesville Police Department had identified their suspect – Brian Kitzman, a coach responsible for the well-being and safety of his student-athletes.

During the investigation, Kitzman allegedly admitted to authorities that he had recorded approximately 18 students over the past two years.

He claimed to have already discovered a hole in one of the doors between the office and the locker room, which he had used to film students changing in secret.

The sentencing hearing was a powerful and moving moment, as two of Kitzman's victims courageously took the stand to share the profound impact of his actions.

According to GazetteXtra, the mother of one victim expressed the deep sense of betrayal she felt, saying: “You took away my innocence and my faith that people are good. »

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Another victim spoke of the constant fear and anxiety she now lives with, refusing to use public toilets or changing rooms for fear of being secretly recorded.

At the sentencing hearing, Kitzman read a statement in which he apologized to his victims and their families, acknowledging the harm he had caused and expressing his desire to “pay his debt to society » and to “become a better person”.

After pleading guilty to the charges, which included six counts of capturing an intimate depiction of a minor, 12 counts of possession/distribution/exhibition of an intimate depiction of a minor, and a single count of molestation privacy through the use of a surveillance device, Kitzman faced a severe sentence.

The judge sentenced Kitzman to 38 years in the Wisconsin state prison system, followed by 19 years of extended supervision.

Additionally, he will have to register as a sex offender for 15 years after his release.

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