A Brown Deer woman who worked as a teacher at a Wauwatosa school is accused of having sex with an 8th grade student and buying him a gun.
According to a criminal complaint obtained by WISN, Tyesha Bolden, 34, worked as an 8th grade teacher at Pilgrim Lutheran School near 68th and Center in Wauwatosa.
Mother Reported Bolden After Finding Sexual Messages, Explicit Photos on Son's Phone
On July 25, the mother of the 8th grade student reported to Brown Deer police that her son had taken a relative's car and may be staying at the residence of his teacher. According to the complaint, the mother also told police she suspected that the two had a sexual relationship after finding text messages and explicit photos on her son's phone.
Court filings indicate Bolden and the victim first met last October at the school when she was his eighth grade teacher. Investigators said, between late May and late July of this year, the two exchanged more than 2,200 messages.
In the messages, a criminal complaint states Bolden acknowledged the victim was a minor and that she feels guilty. In one message, Bolden wrote: "I want to see you as often as possible and the rest will just happen."
Surveillance Video Showed Bolden Buying a Firearm, Ammo for Student
The complaint also states that on July 28, the 14-year-old student was stopped by West Allis police while driving. In the car, they found a Gen 5 Glock 19 gun along with an iPhone which was also seized. A trace on the gun revealed it was purchased at Range USA in Greenfield on June 17.
On August 2, a Brown Deer detective says he went to Range USA and was provided a copy of the receipt along with surveillance video which shows Bolden buying the firearm and some ammunition.
Detectives also said they interviewed the student's parents who said that in July, he started "making poor choices" including having a firearm, and when they went through his phone, they say they found texts where Bolden told him "she loved him unconditionally." They also say they found nude photos of Bolden.
Student Admitted to Having Sex with Bolden in the Woods
When detectives say they interviewed the 14-year-old boy, he admitted to meeting Bolden when she was his 8th grade teacher in October 2022. He also said she gave him his personal number, and they texted often, including where Bolden sent him nude photos.
The complaint adds that he admitted that the two drove to a Brown Deer park in June 2023, and had sex in a wooded area near an archery range. He then said that after having sex, he asked her to buy him a Glock 19 gun at Range USA in Greenfield. He added that Bolden gave him the gun on his 14th birthday.
Bolden is charged with one count of second degree sexual assault and one count of providing a dangerous weapon to a person under 18. If convicted, she faces 43 years in prison.
