Haunted house owner pleads no contest to sexual assault charges involving underage workers

MANITOWOC. Wisc. (WLUK) — The owner of a haunted house listed as one of “America’s Best Haunted Attractions” has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl who worked for him.

On Monday, John Schwarz, 38, pleaded no contest to three charges: sexual intercourse with a child under 19, fourth-degree sexual assault and mental harm to a child.

WLUK reported that the number of crimes had been dropped or reduced.

The state and defense agreed to a joint recommendation of five years of probation, with a series of conditions. Schwarz’s sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday.

A prosecutor read a victim impact statement in the case in court Monday. He said he had become a “shell of himself” due to the trauma of the events and the ongoing legal proceedings.

“No one deserves to go through as much pain as I went through,” the victim’s statement said, while asking for a prison sentence.

Schwarz had operated Scare USA in Two Rivers. The corresponding website says the attraction is closed.

During the investigation, it was determined that Schwarz had sexual contact with a number of minors who volunteered and worked at the haunted house, dating back to 2014. An assistant prosecutor previously told the court that Schwarz would say to victims that no one would believe them if they reported sexual contact.