Janitor who made threats pleads to misdemeanors

A Port Washington High School custodian who was charged in April with making terrorist threats after saying he would shoot people at the school pleaded no contest last week to three misdemeanors as part of a plea deal.

The pleas entered by Town of Belgium resident Scott L. Helm, 62, were accepted by Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Sandy Williams, who found him guilty of three counts of disorderly conduct while threatening to use a dangerous weapon.

Following a joint recommendation from  Assistant District Attorney Antonella Aleman-Zientek and Helm’s attorney, Mark Langholz, Williams sentenced Helm to nine months in the county jail and two years probation but stayed the jail sentence. That means Helm will not have to serve the time behind bars unless he violates the terms of his probation.

“Mr. Helm, I think you should consider yourself lucky. Your attorney and the state worked out an agreement that’s very favorable to you,” Williams said during a Dec. 12 hearing, adding that while his behavior was “outrageous,” probation is an appropriate punishment given the circumstances of his case.

According to a criminal complaint and the Port Washington-Saukville School District, Helm arrived at Port High for his shift at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, and began making inappropriate comments and threatening other employees. That was an early release day for students, who were not in the building at the time.

A witness told police officer Jason Bergin, who serves as the district’s school resource officer, that Helm had recently returned to work from medical leave and had been using “inappropriate language” toward other employees.

The witness also said Helm had called multiple times to ask about his eligibility for retirement, and during one of those conversations he said that if he had a gun he would come to school and shoot “all you guys,” according to the complaint.

The witness alerted school administrators, who in turn called Bergin. Administrators and Bergin found Helm in a science classroom. He appeared agitated and asked one administrator, “What do you (expletive) want to talk about?” the complaint states.

As he was being escorted from the school, Helm asked to use the elevator to get to the first floor. While on the elevator with Bergin, Helm looked at the officer with a “dead stare” and asked him if he had ever used his gun. When Bergin asked him to clarify the question, Helm refused to but said he was “on a mission,” according to the complaint.

Because of Helm’s statements and behavior, Bergin called other officers to the school and Helm was arrested.

Helm and his vehicle, which was parked in the school lot, were searched and no guns were found.

The School District immediately placed Helm on leave. He no longer works for the district. 

During last week’s plea and sentencing hearing, Aleman-Zientek said an investigation determined that Helm didn’t have access to guns at the time of his arrest and there was no evidence that he intended to act on his threats.

Langholz said the day of the incident was Helm’s first day back at work after suffering a stroke.

“It was probably too soon to be back,” Langholz said of Helm, a lifelong resident of Ozaukee County who worked for the School District for seven years and did not have a criminal record until last week. “The stroke certainly caused some cognitive issues he’s still dealing with.”

When pressed by Williams about whether Langholz was blaming the stroke for Helm’s action, Langholz said, “I think he was saying things he didn’t mean or wasn’t processing at the time.

“I don’t believe he was a threat, but certainly he caused a significant disruption with his comments.”

In response to the threats, the School District sent a letter to parents explaining the incident, then implemented additional security measures that limited the public’s access to schools.

Helm posted $1,000 bail two days after his arrest and has been free since then although under a court order not to have contact with the School District or its employees and not to possess guns.

Williams said last week that regardless of whether Helm intended to shoot people at the school, his words had serious consequences.

“Whether you planned on following through (on the threats), the people hearing them had to be incredibly concerned,” she said. “It’s fortunate students had adjourned by the time you made your statements.”

Williams said the fact Helm is 62 and does not have a previous criminal record are factors that weighed in favor of probation.

She ordered Helm not to have contact with School District facilities, employees or students and not to possess guns while on probation.