Substitute teacher at Hernando Elementary School charged with lewd conduct with students
CCSO mugshot of Sprenger.
Citrus County, Floida - on March 9, 2023, 83 year-old Wolfgang Sprenger of Dunnellon, Florida, was arrested as the result of an investigation by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO).
On January 31, 2023, staff members at Hernando Elementary School in Hernando, Florida reported to the School Resource Deputy (SRD) that a substitute teacher, identified as Wolfgang Sprenger, may have inappropriately touched several students. The Citrus County School Board immediately removed Sprenger from his position as a substitute teacher as the CCSO began its investigation into these allegations.
Detective Jonathan Richeym with the agency's Special Victims Unit (SVU), was assigned the case and began to identify victims. During his investigation, Detective Richey identified multiple juvenile victims, as well as several juveniles who had witnessed these acts. All of the victims were interviewed at Jessie's Place, the Citrus County Child Advocacy Center, where they stated that Sprenger had touched them inappropriately. Detective Richey also obtained evidence that supported the victims' statements.
After the investigation was completed, Detective Richey worked with the State Attorney's Office to obtain a warrant for Sprenger's arrest.
On March 9, 2023, Sprenger was arrested on the warrant, charged with two counts of lewd and lascivious molestation of a child less than the age of 12, four counts of lewd and lascivious conduct, and one count of contributing to the delinquency of a child. He was transported to the Citrus County Detention Facility, where he is being held without a bond, per the warrant.
"This case exposes how a predator can and will work themselves into a position of trust to gain access to children," said Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "Sprenger violated the trust of the children he was supposed to teach and the trust our community placed in him. A classroom is supposed to be a nurturing and safe environment, not a playground for a predator like Sprenger. I hope this arrest will be the starting point on a journey of healing for his victims."