PEWAUKEE, Wis.—Former Pewaukee teacher and school bus driver Thomas Felser is facing new criminal charges in an expanding child sexual assault investigation that has shocked the Waukesha County community.
Thomas Felser, 62, of Sussex, was charged May 27 with additional counts of sexual assault involving a second young victim—just days after prosecutors first accused him of assaulting a 6-year-old girl on his school bus route.
The amended criminal complaint, filed by the Waukesha County District Attorney’s Office, includes the following new charges:
- One count of first-degree child sexual assault.
- One count of repeated sexual assault of a child.
- Five counts of sexual misconduct by school staff or volunteer.
The new charges stem from surveillance footage obtained from inside Felser’s school bus, operated through Go Riteway. Investigators identified a second victim, a 5-year-old girl, seen interacting with Felser during his routes for Pewaukee School District elementary students. According to police, Felser initially told the girl, “You are too little, stay with daddy”. Surveillance footage later shows him “laying over” the victim before he “picks her up and puts her on his lap,” investigators said. In the recordings, police say Felser put his hand under the girl’s skirt.
According to the complaint, Felser reportedly lured young girls to the back of the bus with what he called the “monster game” and then engaged in inappropriate contact. Prosecutors say these incidents occurred between April and May 2025, while Felser was transporting students during both morning and afternoon shifts.
During a police interview last Friday, the girl initially hesitated to talk, saying it was “inappropriate” and “super weird,” according to the complaint. However, she did acknowledge knowing Felser had been arrested for touching another child in a “bad part.” When asked if something similar had happened to her, the girl confirmed that it had occurred once, the complaint states.
Felser initially faced four charges on May 16, including repeated first-degree sexual assault of a child and sexual misconduct by school staff. He pleaded not guilty at a hearing on May 28, where he also waived his right to a preliminary hearing. His bail has been set at $400,000, and he remains in custody at the Waukesha County Jail.
Felser retired in 2020 after more than three decades of teaching at Pewaukee High School and Asa Clark Middle School. He later took a job as a school bus driver in fall 2024. Go Riteway, the contractor for Pewaukee’s school transportation, confirmed that Felser had driven routes for all four schools in the district.
The Pewaukee School District has publicly expressed outrage and heartbreak over the charges. In a statement, district officials said they were “devastated by the allegations” and are cooperating fully with law enforcement.
The case remains under active investigation. Authorities have not yet confirmed if additional victims may be involved. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pewaukee Police Department.
If you have been a victim of sexual abuse, help is available. Speak with someone today.
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