A former Wisconsin elementary school teacher who admitted to inappropriate sexual contact with an 11-year-old student was sentenced Friday to six years in prison, receiving half the sentence prosecutors had sought.
Madison Bergmann, 26, broke down in tears as a judge handed down the sentence in a Wisconsin courtroom. Bergmann previously taught fifth grade at River Crest Elementary School in Hudson, Wisconsin. Prosecutors had asked for 12 years behind bars, while her defense team argued for a sentence of just one year in prison followed by probation.
In addition to prison time, Bergmann will face six years of extended supervision after her release, according to KARE 11. The sentence stems from a plea deal reached in late September, in which she pleaded guilty to one count of child enticement and two counts of sexual misconduct by school staff.
As part of that agreement, several more serious charges were dismissed, including first-degree sexual assault of a child, using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, exposing a child to harmful descriptions, and additional counts of sexual misconduct and enticement.
Court records show Bergmann exchanged more than 35,000 text messages with the child between February and April 2024. The messages were discovered by the boy’s father, who later told the court the content was “very disturbing” and graphic. Investigators also found nearly 100 handwritten love letters between Bergmann and the child, stored in a folder bearing the victim’s name inside her classroom.
During sentencing, Bergmann addressed the court directly. “I want to make it absolutely clear that I take full accountability for every boundary that was crossed,” she said through tears. She also told the victim’s family, “I hope that your family has been able to begin to heal and find some peace in your lives again.”
Police additionally found a folder with the victim’s name on it in her bag that contained handwritten notes talking about how much they kissed. The boy’s father described the lasting impact of the abuse, telling the judge that his son has been bullied since the case became public. He said he printed out the messages after discovering them and brought them to school officials.
“Learning about a school staff member and alleged inappropriate conduct that breaches trust is deeply troubling for all of us,” the school previously said in a statement. Bergmann resigned from her position in May 2024.
The fallout extended beyond her career. Bergmann also lost her fiancé, Sam Hickman, whom she was scheduled to marry last July. A friend told The New York Post that Hickman ended the relationship over her “f**ked up behavior.”
Reaction to the six-year sentence has been swift and angry online. “What message does six years send to other creeps like her? This criminal justice system is a joke,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “She gave a life sentence to the student who will have to deal with what happened to him for the rest of his life.”
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