Teacher Accepts Plea In Misconduct Case
A former middle school teacher was back in court today to accept a plea for inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor.
Tyler Baatz, 26, was arrested in August on felony charges of child seduction and sexual misconduct, Class D and Class B felonies respectively. Initially, Baatz pleaded not guilty to both counts, but in Kosciusko County Superior Court I this morning he withdrew his plea and entered a guilty plea to one charge of Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor.
With the plea, which essentially just drops the Class D felony child seduction charge, Baatz agreed to accept punishment of what could be up to 6 years imprisonment. Also, the state agrees to not pursue any additional charges related to the case against Baatz.
Baatz, 26, was jailed on Aug. 21 following a Warsaw Police investigation that uncovered an inappropriate relationship with one of his 14-year-old female students at Edgewood Middle School. Baatz had been a teacher at the school for over 3 years but was suspended without pay two days after his arrest.
According to a probable cause affidavit released by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor, Baatz admitted to inappropriate conduct with his former student. The acts occurred over a period of three weeks in August at his apartment in Warsaw.
Under Indiana law, a Class B felony carries from 6 to 20 years in prison, but Superior Court I Judge Duane Huffer said the plea means Baatz would spend no more than 6 years in prison and possibly pay a fine of up to $10,000.
Baatz is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 20.