(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — Thomas William Johnson, 51, of Burlington, the Union Grove Union High School District administrator, was formally charged Thursday, November 5, 2026, with two Class D felony counts of possession of child pornography. Johnson was arrested Wednesday morning after Kenosha County Sheriff’s detectives executed a search warrant at his Town of Wheatland residence. The newly filed eight-page criminal complaint reveals allegations involving inappropriate communications with students, an extramarital affair, deleted information from his cell phones, and a disturbing internet search. Meanwhile, two unusually timed closed-session School Board meetings are raising questions about what district officials knew before Johnson’s arrest.
(Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office)
The investigation began October 22, when the Racine County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous letter alleging Johnson had been involved in a years-long affair and had inappropriate photographs and communications involving current or former students on his phone. The author also alleged Johnson had threatened to damage the author’s career if the relationship was disclosed. Investigators subsequently interviewed Johnson, who acknowledged having an affair but denied inappropriate contact with students.
During an October 23 interview at Johnson’s residence, Racine County investigators examined two cell phones he voluntarily provided. Detectives described the phones as “suspiciously clean,” reporting that substantial amounts of information appeared to have been deleted and several social media applications had been removed or wiped. Johnson acknowledged deleting Snapchat and internet browsing history, explaining that he did not want his wife questioning his online activities.
Investigators also discovered an internet search for “bury a body.” When questioned about the search, Johnson reportedly claimed he could not remember conducting it or why he would have searched those words. He initially suggested it could have resulted from a voice-to-text error but later acknowledged that explanation was unlikely. Johnson told investigators he was not planning to hurt anyone.
The complaint also reveals that Johnson acknowledged a six-year extramarital affair during an October 26 interview. Investigators questioned him about inappropriate relationships with students, which he denied. Kenosha County Detective Moro, who later reviewed body-camera footage of the interviews, described Johnson’s reactions as suspicious, although those interpretations were the detective’s assessments rather than independent proof of dishonesty.
Criminal Complaint Reveals Johnson Was Warned About Investigation
One of the most significant revelations in the criminal complaint concerns Johnson’s knowledge of the investigation before detectives formally interviewed him. During his October 26 interview, Johnson reportedly acknowledged that someone from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office had visited him at Union Grove High School on October 22 and discussed the investigation. Johnson initially omitted that conversation when investigators asked him to provide a timeline of events.
The complaint states that Johnson also discussed the investigation with someone at the school and referenced a woman named Diane, who allegedly told him his phones were clean. When investigators asked how she would know that, Johnson reportedly suggested someone from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office probably called.
The complaint does not establish that the woman identified as Diane was School Board President Diane Skewes, nor does it establish who, if anyone, communicated information about the phone examination to her. Detective Moro wrote that Johnson’s account showed he had been told about the investigation before it was assigned to Racine County investigators.
The complaint also states that Johnson had factory-reset his work phone after its initial examination, claiming he experienced technical problems and had been instructed by information technology personnel to reset it. Investigators questioned the timing and explanation for that reset.
Two Closed-Door School Board Meetings Raise Questions
Kenosha County Eye has obtained two special meeting agendas from the Union Grove Union High School Board of Education that raise additional questions about the timeline of the investigation.
The first special meeting was scheduled for October 28, just one day after the Racine County Sheriff’s Office transferred the investigation to Kenosha County. The second was scheduled for November 4, the same day Johnson was arrested.
Both agendas contained virtually identical language authorizing the Board to enter closed session under Wisconsin Statutes §§ 19.85(1)(c) and (f).
The stated purpose was:
“Discussion and potential action regarding the procedure to implement to review the conduct of an individual which may involve the disclosure of pupil record information and employee performance record information.”
The timing is particularly noteworthy in light of the newly released criminal complaint, which establishes that Johnson was already aware of the investigation before the October 28 meeting and that at least one person associated with the school had discussed the matter with him.
However, the publicly available agendas do not identify the individual whose conduct was to be discussed, and Kenosha County Eye has not independently confirmed that either closed session concerned Johnson.
The circumstances raise an important question: Was the School Board already aware of the criminal investigation before Johnson was arrested, and if so, when and how did its members learn about it?
Sheriff’s Offices Questioned About Possible Information Leak, Captain’s Alleged Connection
Kenosha County Eye contacted both the Racine County and Kenosha County Sheriff’s Offices Wednesday evening, asking about the timing of the meetings, whether information had been disclosed to school officials, and whether Racine County Sheriff’s Captain Cary Madrigal had any involvement.
Madrigal, who recently lost the race for Racine County Sheriff, has been alleged to have a connection to the school district. Kenosha County Eye has not independently verified the nature of that alleged connection or whether Madrigal played any role in the investigation or communications with school officials.
Neither Sheriff’s Office directly addressed the questions concerning Madrigal or the timing of the two School Board meetings.
Racine County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Michael Luell did, however, explain why his agency transferred the investigation to Kenosha County.
“The Racine County Sheriff’s Office was originally notified of a situation at Union Grove High School involving the District Administrator, Thomas Johnson. Given that the Sheriff’s Office has a School Resource Officer assigned to the high school that works daily with students, school staff, and the administration, we requested the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office to conduct the investigation to ensure the integrity of the investigation,” Luell wrote Thursday morning.
Luell added that Kenosha County had not yet presented its investigative findings to Racine County.
Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Lieutenant Chase Forster declined to provide additional information.
“This investigation is ongoing. While we understand the public’s interest, we are unable to release additional details at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation,” Forster wrote Thursday afternoon.
Neither response established whether information was improperly disclosed. The criminal complaint does, however, document that Johnson had contact with someone from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office concerning the investigation before his initial formal interview.
Detectives Discover Two Suspected Child Pornography Images
After the investigation was transferred to Kenosha County, detectives obtained search warrants for Johnson’s personal and work phones on October 29.
A forensic examination revealed numerous pornographic images, including two images whose digital fingerprints matched previously submitted child sexual abuse material in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s database.
Investigators reported that the two images depicted underage girls in sexually explicit circumstances. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children advised investigators that the images were being tracked as part of efforts to identify the children.
During the November 4 search warrant at Johnson’s residence, detectives arrested him and questioned him about the images. After being shown redacted versions, Johnson acknowledged that one image depicted a child but denied knowing how the images ended up on his phone.
Investigators seized additional electronic devices, including computers, a laptop, cell phones, an iPad, and electronic storage equipment.
The criminal complaint does not establish that the children depicted in the two charged images were Union Grove students.
Principal Takes Over As Acting Superintendent
Following Johnson’s arrest Wednesday, Union Grove Union High School Board President Diane Skewes issued a letter to families acknowledging the allegations and announcing that Principal Tom Blair would immediately assume the role of acting district administrator.
“We are deeply troubled by the serious allegations associated with this arrest and recognize the concern this news has caused throughout our school community,” Skewes wrote.
The district said it was cooperating with law enforcement but declined to provide additional information because of the ongoing investigation and personnel considerations.
The letter did not specify whether Johnson had been terminated, suspended, or placed on administrative leave.
Each Class D felony carries a maximum of 15 years of initial confinement in Wisconsin state prison. If convicted on both counts, Johnson faces a combined maximum of 30 years of initial confinement, along with substantial fines and mandatory minimum sentencing provisions.
The investigation remains ongoing, and the circumstances surrounding the School Board’s October 28 and November 4 closed-session meetings have not yet been publicly explained.
