35-year-old Town of Onalaska man charged with sexual assault of girl younger than 13

LA CROSSE (WKBT) — A 35-year-old Town of Onalaska man was charged Thursday with several counts related to allegations of sexual assault of a girl younger than 13.

Romero

Jeronimo Hernandez Romero, also known as Alberto Tecpile, was charged in La Crosse County Circuit Court with two counts of first-degree sexual assault/sexual contact with a child under age 13, one count of sexual assault of a child younger than 16 and one count of felony intimidation of a victim.

Romero is accused of inappropriately touching a girl on two occasions in the summer of 2021 and again this week, on Tuesday, in his home in the Town of Onalaska.

On the first two sexual assault counts, if convicted, Romero sentences of up to 60 years, while the third could bring the same penalty and the intimidation charge could result in fine up to $25,000 or up to 10 years in prison, or both.

According to the criminal complaint, Romero touched the girl inappropriately on three occasions and tried to kiss her at one point.

The girl told him “that he shouldn’t do that, that she was a kid,” the complaint says.

Romero, who had his penis out at one point, apologized and said he was sorry, “but she did not believe him,” the complaint says.

During at least one of the incidents, Romero allegedly “was yelling at her and had also told her that he would hurt her or anyone if she said anything,” the complaint says.

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