John E. Fredenburgh, Child Sex Abuse, Wisconsin 2022

A former Suring trustee, teacher, and coach was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for sexually abusing a child, authorities announced Friday.

Richard G. Frohling, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, said John E. Fredenburgh (age: 37) of the Village of Suring, in Oconto County, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach on May 5, 2022.

The abuse, which involved a Suring minor, began when the victim was 12 years old and continued for five and a half years. In addition to the repeated sexual abuse, Fredenburgh supplied the minor with alcohol and illegal drugs and committed acts of violence against her.

The abuse came to light in February 2021, when the victim came forward and reported the abuse to Oconto authorities. The case was investigated by the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, the Marinette County Sheriff’s Office, the Menominee, Michigan Sheriff’s Office, the Menominee (Michigan) Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The horrendous nature of the crimes and the need to deter Fredenburgh from engaging in further abuse” were noted by Judge Griesbach, who stated that a 25-year prison sentence was the right length to protect the community while providing a measure of justice for the victim.

Upon the completion of his federal prison sentence, Fredenburgh will serve the remainder of his life on supervised release. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse,” Frohling said. “We will continue to work tirelessly to bring perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice.”

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

For further information, contact Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales at (414) 297-1700.

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