DARLINGTON — Felony sexual assault charges are pending against a Lafayette County teacher, accused of having sex with a student on multiple occasions.

According to court records and published reports, Jesse Sturtz, 23 of Darlington, is charged in a criminal complaint with four counts of sexual assault by school staff, a class H felony in Wisconsin punishable by up to six years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Still, Sturtz was not yet in custody at press time, and any bail status unavailable, according to an officer reached by phone Thursday night at the Lafayette County Jail.

Sturtz, a Darlington High School gym teacher, allegedly met the 17-year-old victim in a class he was teaching around September. After “flirting” between the pair, a relationship began and he had sex with her on four occasions, according to details of the complaint, first published by Madison’s Channel3000.com.

Details of the report could not be independently confirmed at press time and attempts to reach the Lafayette County District Attorney’s office were unsuccessful.

On one occasion, the report said, the pair had sex in the car in a Wiota church parking lot after returning from what was described as a “dinner date” in Dubuque. A police officer approached the car and asked what they were doing and the victim allegedly lied about her age.

The school district subsequently opened its own investigation, along with law enforcement. The published report said Sturtz had been placed on an immediate leave of absence from his job.

According to court records, Sturtz faces an initial appearance on the charges at 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 14 in Lafayette County Circuit court, before judge Duane M. Jorgensen.