MENOMONEE — A former Menominee County Sheriffs Department deputy facing criminal sexual conduct charges has waived arraignment, according to Menominee County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey T. Rogg.

Brian William Helfert, 57, of Menominee, waived his arraignment in writing Monday, choosing to “stand mute” thorough his attorney, Trenton Stupak of Escanaba. There was no formal court appearance on the record.

Judge Mary B. Barglind entered pleas of not guilty on each of the 16 felony counts against Helfert, following her receipt of the waiver of arraignment document.

Helfert is charged with Child Sexually Abusive Activity, four counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct–First Degree, three counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct–Third Degree, Assault with Intent to Commit Penetration, Gross Indecency Between Males and filed a Sexually Delinquent Person Notice.

An investigation by the Menominee Police Department (MPD) led to Helfert’s arrest.

The charges arise from a number of incidents alleged to have occurred between April, 2013 and December, 2019. The felony com plaint alleges a six-year history of sexual assault and abuse of the victim at the hands of Helfert. The victim reported to police that he felt compelled to come forward at this time when he learned of Helfert’s plea and sentencing in another case in the 41st Circuit Court, in 2020.

In that case, Helfert was sentenced to five years probation and six months in jail for the attempted accosting for immoral purposes of a 15-year-old boy.

Helfert was a long-time deputy at the Menominee County Sherif’s Department and provided services to Menominee Area Public Schools as a Menominee County school liaison deputy

The next formal date in the case is a pretrial conference scheduled for July 2 at 9:30 a.m. Both Stupak and Rogg wanted to address the issue of cond. The court requested that formal motions be filed and stated it would schedule a hearing on that issue following those filings. The defense wants the current $250,000 cash/surety bond lowered; while Rogg wants bond raised want it raised.