Former Two Rivers teacher convicted in student sex assault case

MANITOWOC COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - A former Two Rivers teacher has been found guilty in a student sex assault case.

Rebecca Kilps, 35, appeared in Manitowoc County Court Wednesday for a plea and sentencing hearing. She entered “no contest” pleas to charges of Sex Assault of a Student by School Staff and Sexual Intercourse with a Child 16 or older.

The conviction was part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

On counts two and three, Kilps was ordered to serve three years on probation with 10 conditions:

Assessment, treatment, counseling as deemed appropriate by the Department’s assessment process
Psychosexual evaluation and follow through
Continue mental health treatment until such time as the provider feels she is complete
No contact with the victim
No contact with anyone under the age of 18 unless approved by the agent with the exception of her son
Spend three months in the Manitowoc County Jail, under the Huber Law, commencing March 14, 2023 by 6:00 p.m. (count 2);
Spend six months in the Manitowoc County Jail, under the Huber Law, imposed and stayed to be imposed at the agent’s discretion and by further order of the court (count 2);
Pay court costs
Pay supervision fees in an amount to be determined by DOC
Submit to DNA sample

On count one of Sexual Assault of a Student by School Staff, there was a deferred judgment agreement for five years. The court converted the bond to a $10,000 personal recognizance bond.

The court eliminated a condition that prohibited travel.

On May 23, 2022, a detective was contacted by a school social worker who had been informed about a student having a relationship with a teacher.

On May 24, the detective received a call from the husband of Rebecca Kilps who reported that he had suspicions and checked his wife’s phone while she was sleeping. He found messages between Rebecca and the victim in which the two were “talking about a future together and saying they love each other.” He confronted her. She admitted it was a student and they had been friends before they started saying “I love you” and “talking sexually.”

The detective spoke to the 17-year-old victim who said things went “too far” and things “went bad.” He detailed how he took her Freshman Spanish class and continued to take her classes through the years. During junior year, he would start going to her classroom after school and hanging out. They started private messaging each other. In March, things “escalated and we talked more and said what we shouldn’t have,” he said.

The victim said they had sex twice at Kilps’ home.

Detectives then talked to Rebecca Kilps. She said she realized in October of 2021 that the victim “meant more than a student should to her but she kept it to herself.” During the interview, she admitted to having sex with the victim twice, according to the complaint. She said it happened when her husband was out of the home.

The former teacher told the detective that she hoped after the victim graduated she would end her relationship with her husband.

“Rebecca said she knew the sexual contact with [victim] was illegal due to his age,” reads the complaint.

Kilps resigned her position in the district.