Pierick gets community service, fine in plea (UPDATE)

Listen to this article

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) – The domestic partner of one of Gov. Scott Walker’s top aides when he was Milwaukee County executive was sentenced Thursday to community service and a $2,100 fine on a misdemeanor delinquency charge.

The evidence against Brian Pierick, 49, was uncovered during a secret investigation of the Milwaukee County executive’s office when Walker held that post between 2002 and 2010.

Pierick, of Sun Prairie, was initially charged with felony child enticement and causing a child to expose his genitals in connection with text messages he sent to a 17-year-old Waukesha boy in late 2010.

Under a deal with prosecutors last month, Pierick pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to online court records, a judge sentenced Pierick to 50 hours of community service and a $2,148 fine. The records indicated if he didn’t complete the community service by June 15, the court would impose a jail sentence.

Assistant Milwaukee County District Attorney Sara Lewis said the mother of the boy also wrote a victim impact statement about how the incident affected their sense of security.

She also said a psychologist evaluated Pierick to determine if he needed sex offender treatment and it was determined he did not need it.

“From my perspective that was an important aspect of it because it addressed issues of community protection,” she said.

Pierick’s attorney, public defender Maura McMahon, didn’t immediately return calls for comment Thursday.

Pierick was one of six people charged with crimes stemming from the so-called John Doe investigation into people connected with the county executive’s office under Walker. Four former Walker aides as well as a campaign donor have been convicted on charges ranging from theft to misconduct in office.

Pierick’s longtime domestic and business partner Tim Russell was sentenced to two years in prison last month after he was convicted of stealing more than $20,000 from a nonprofit group Walker appointed him to lead when Walker was county executive.

Prosecutors have said an examination of phones and computers seized from Russell showed Pierick had attempted to solicit minors for sex. Pierick exchanged text messages with a 17-year-old boy and tried to entice him into his van, but the boy declined, according to the criminal complaint. His attorney has previously said the boy told Pierick he was 19.

Pierick was not as closely associated with Walker as others connected to the secret investigation prosecutors launched into Walker’s county administration in May 2010. He donated $250 to Walker in 2005 and volunteered with his campaigns. At one time, Pierick was listed as the registrant of Walker’s current campaign website but he was later replaced by Russell.