Former Wisconsin Principal Arrested In Sex Sting

MILWAUKEE, WI — A former high school principal in Wisconsin and high-ranking New York Schools official has been charged with child enticement and possession of child pornography following a sex sting operation in Wisconsin.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, David A. Hay, 39, of Brooklyn, New York, was charged following his Dec 29 arrest by local authorities at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee after he thought he was corresponding with a 14-year-old boy in order to meet up with him for sex authorities say.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities say starting in July of 2019, Hay began corresponding on a popular dating app with a person identified as "Colton," whom he believed to be a 14 year-old boy living in Neenah. Authorities claim that Hay began engaging in sexually explicit conversations with “Colton,” and making plans to meet up with him.

Authorities say “Colton” was actually a City of Neenah Police Investigator operating undercover. Police say Hay got a whirlpool suite at a Neenah-area hotel in order to meet "Colton."

Following Hay’s arrest, authorities say they searched Hay, only to find sexually-explicit images of a former Tomah High School student on his smartphone. Hay was the principal at that school from 2011-2014. Prior to that he was an administrator at Kettle Moraine High School for several years.

Hay most recently was the deputy chief of staff to schools chancellor Richard A. Carranza in New York City's Department of Education.

"These allegations are incredibly disturbing and absolutely unacceptable. We took immediate action removing Mr. Hay," spokeswoman Miranda Barbot wrote in an email. "We referred this to the Special Commissioner of Investigation and we will fully comply with any investigation."

According to a Patch report from New York, in his role as chief of staff, Hay was a key behind-the-scenes advocate of the chancellor's agenda, including implicit bias training. He was a point person on assessments and standardized testing, as well as the department's Renewal turnaround program. Hay was frequently on hand at high profile school visits and press conferences.

Federal officials say Hay faces charges of using a computer to attempt to persuade, induce, or entice a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and possession of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a lifetime of imprisonment if convicted of the enticement charge, and up to 10 years imprisonment if convicted of the child pornography possession charge.

This case was investigated by the City of Neenah Police Department with the assistance of the Green Bay office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office. The case is now in the hands of Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.