MENOMINEE — A former Menominee County Sheriff’s Department deputy accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy waived his right to an arraignment scheduled to take place Tuesday morning in Menominee County Circuit Court.

Brian William Helfert, 56, of 1116 17th Ave., Menominee, was bound over from district court to circuit court last month on two counts of criminal sexual conduct – third degree, a 15-year felony.

During the February bind-over hearing, the victim said the assault took place at Helfert’s home on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019. Helfert knew the victim through his assignment as a Menominee County juvenile crime investigator and school resource officer. The victim also claimed he knew knew Helfert outside of school and the mentorship, stating he did have a friendship with Helfert.

The document submitted to the court replaced Tuesday’s arraignment hearing, allowing the case to move forward without an appearance from Helfert in court.

“Mr. Helfert was scheduled for an arraignment but his attorney, Trent Stupak, waived that in writing. Which is a procedure that’s allowed by the Michigan court rules, you basically send in a paper instead of showing up in person is what it amounts to,” said Menominee County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffery Rogg, adding the document indicates Helfert acknowledged the charges against him and the potential penalty for those charges.

At the Feb. 18 hearing, the victim said Helfert had told him after the assault they were to set up prices for future explicit contact. Helfert then brought the victim to McDonald’s and purchased him food before bringing him home.

The victim said he contacted his girlfriend that night and told her about the assault, but did not tell an adult until he went to school the next day. He was then brought to St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, where he was examined and talked to medical professionals about the incident.

Helfert was fired from the Menominee County Sheriff’s Department on Dec. 19, 2019, following an investigation for violations of office policies, procedures and rules of conduct.

Helfert posted bond when he was first charged in January.

A pretrial conference has been set for May 8.