(Family Member)
KENOSHA, Wis. — A 12-member Kenosha County jury unanimously found Peter E. Johnson III, 45, of Kenosha, not guilty Thursday of all four felony charges against him following a two-day jury trial before Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Heather Iverson. Assistant District Attorney Sarah Norkus prosecuted the case, with Assistant District Attorney Ben Woolley also appearing for the state during the trial, while Johnson was represented by Assistant State Public Defender Zebulon Patek. Johnson, who had worked as a Kenosha Unified School District bus driver through First Student, had been accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting two children over a period of several years.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Johnson was charged in November 2025 with two counts of repeated sexual assault of the same child and two counts of child enticement involving sexual contact. The two repeated-sexual-assault charges were Class C felonies, while the child-enticement charges were Class D felonies. The charges also carried serious-sex-offender lifetime-supervision modifiers.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The allegations involved two girls who told Kenosha Police that Johnson had sexually abused them while they were minors. Kenosha County Eye reported on Johnson’s arrest and prosecution but declined to publish many of the graphic allegations contained in the criminal complaint because of their disturbing nature. Johnson maintained his innocence and pleaded not guilty after the case was bound over for trial.
Two-Day Jury Trial
Jury selection began Tuesday, with testimony beginning Wednesday morning. The state presented testimony from the two complainants, Kenosha Police Detective Sergio Martini and expert witness Taume Kohl. After the state rested Wednesday afternoon, Patek asked Iverson to dismiss all four charges. Iverson heard arguments and denied the defense motion, allowing the case to proceed to the jury.
The defense then presented its witnesses and rested Wednesday afternoon. Jurors heard closing arguments before beginning deliberations at about 4:18 p.m. They deliberated until shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday and were sent home for the evening without reaching a verdict.
Jurors returned Thursday morning and resumed deliberations. Court records indicate the jury submitted two questions that were addressed on the record before reaching its unanimous verdicts at 11:41 a.m. Johnson was found not guilty on Count 1, not guilty on Count 2, not guilty on Count 3 and not guilty on Count 4. The jury was excused at 11:46 a.m., and Iverson entered judgments on the verdicts.
“I Felt Good That The Jury Did The Right Thing”
Johnson spoke with Kenosha County Eye following the verdict about the case and the nearly 10 months he spent behind bars awaiting trial. Asked what he felt when the verdicts were returned, Johnson said, “I felt good that the jury did the right thing. That they seen the truth.”
“I was happy. I was very happy,” Johnson said, noting that a conviction could have resulted in him spending much or all of the remainder of his life in prison. Johnson said he never allowed himself to prepare for a conviction. “I always told myself if the truth is told, I’d be set free.”
Johnson said one of the most difficult parts of the ordeal was sitting in jail knowing he maintained that he had done nothing wrong. Beyond his incarceration, Johnson said the case cost him much of the life he had before his arrest. “I lost my house, my vehicles, family, my job,” Johnson told KCE. “You know, I’m belittled.”
Johnson said his family and friends believed him from the beginning. When KCE asked what he did after finally being released, Johnson said he went around to see the people who had supported him. “I went around and seen all my family and friends,” he said.
No Criticism Of Prosecutor, High Praise For Public Defender
Despite spending months incarcerated before ultimately being acquitted, Johnson told KCE he does not blame Norkus for prosecuting the case.
“She was only doing her job,” Johnson said.
Johnson had considerably stronger words when asked to rate Assistant State Public Defender Zebulon Patek, who represented him at trial. Rather than giving Patek the A-through-F grade KCE requested, Johnson jokingly rated him “a hundred thousand.”
“Zeb Patek is the best [lawyer] anybody can have,” Johnson said. He also pushed back against the common perception that defendants represented by public defenders necessarily receive inferior legal representation.
Johnson Hopes To Rebuild His Name And Return To Work
Before driving buses, Johnson said he worked in the towing industry and regularly responded to crashes and other incidents involving the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department, Kenosha Police and Wisconsin State Patrol. Johnson told KCE that restoring his reputation is now one of his biggest priorities.
“I want my character to be back to normal,” Johnson said. He told KCE he has already left the Kenosha area and plans to renew the medical certification required for his commercial driver’s license and return to towing, this time working with his brother. “Oh yeah, definitely,” Johnson said when asked whether he intended to get back behind the wheel of a truck. “I’m going to go refresh my FedMed card and I’m going to be driving a tow truck again.”
Johnson had remained in custody throughout the criminal case. His cash bail was originally set at $100,000 following his November arrest. It was reduced to $99,000 in March and then to $50,000 in July, with conditions prohibiting contact with the two complainants or any minors remaining in place.
Those restrictions ended immediately with the acquittals. The court record shows Johnson appeared for the second day of deliberations in custody. After the jury returned four not-guilty verdicts, Iverson entered judgment and released Johnson from all bond conditions.
“Never Judge A Book By Its Cover”
Johnson told KCE he believes his experience should serve as a reminder that being arrested and charged with a crime is not the same thing as being convicted of one. Asked whether people should wait for a trial before judging an accused person, Johnson answered, “Yes, for sure.”
“It’s like you’re telling somebody never judge a book by its cover,” Johnson said. He noted that his appearance, including tattoos covering his head, could cause people to form opinions about him without knowing him or hearing the evidence. “I mean, I never judged a book by its cover.”
For Johnson, the immediate plan is much simpler than the criminal case that consumed nearly a year of his life. He said he wants to work again, spend time with the people who stood by him and put the prosecution behind him.
“I’m going to enjoy, get back to normal life here and move forward here,” Johnson said.
Editor’s Note: Kenosha County Eye makes it a priority to update readers when we become aware of significant developments in criminal cases we have previously reported on, particularly dismissals, acquittals, reduced charges and other outcomes that materially change the status of a case. However, KCE cannot always know when a case has changed or when a significant court development has occurred. Defendants, their attorneys and family members should never hesitate to contact Kenosha County Eye when there has been an important development in a case we have covered. We welcome that information and will review it promptly so our reporting reflects the most current and complete record available.
13 Responses
soooo did this guy actually do it or nah
He did not
How do you know? It’s not every day a jury doesn’t convict a pedofile even if the evidence is weak and if so why did the DA prosecute?
Hopefully this has been thoroughly investigated.
If he is genuinely innocent, those making the false allegations should be charged and have to pay restitution for the many months this man was locked up.
If he’s guilty and he walked… that’s horrible.
Doesn’t matter, just being accused is enough to destroy his life.
The word is out. Don’t take a plea deal. You have a good chance against this DA office
Norkus is a clown
How the F did he convince a jury? This guy is definitely guilty. I know of the family. He used to pimp his wife out. He is a disgusting fat lazy pig. Those poor girls.
You know “of” the family? Were you there when he was supposedly pimping out his wife? AND, that is way different than being a pedophile. Just saying
Yeah, as a matter of fact- I was. Saw her on backpage.com before it was shut down. He made her prostitute cause he was too lazy to get a real job. Tell me someone like that would not molest those girls. I believe them. If you don’t, let him watch YOUR kids.
If this guy is what was claimed, he’ll do it again, sadly.
And hopefully be caught and busted for it.
Not familiar when him or the case.
Seems someone here knows this guy better than most of us, and if that person is correct, this guy will screw up again.
Sad reality to, is KUSD doesn’t have a good track record for hiring people who work with kids, background checks and all.
FIrst of all, I would bet that the Kenosha County Victim Witness people had a lot to do with this case and tried to increase the charges. They have been known over the years to “bend the prosecutors ears” and give them all sorts of reasons to take a case. The DA office is supposed to ethically prosecute cases that are real. Sex cases that occur over periods of time and in certain locations are harder to prove even if they are true. Is the detective a SCU detective or a general assignment guy doing sensitive work? there is a difference. The other issue that sucks is how the system works….not many people can afford bond and sit for long periods of time BEFORE trial. Aren’t they innocent until proven guilty? Some rich guy would just bond out, but the normal everyday citizen can’t. Remember you are not INNOCENT, you are NOT GUILTY.
Hey Blake your hiding behind a fake name you don’t know nothing I had big money she chose that but you know cause you were right there when this was all suppose to be going on right you sound like a clown be a man and message me so we can chat but I know you won’t people feed off of negativity and your one of them get a life I lost everything cause there real dad put them up to this cause I sent his ass to prison for 12 years this was his best chance to get back at me