Summary
Justin Zierke was a Mormon in Idaho Falls, Idaho as well as a middle school teacher.
Zierke was arrested for having inappropriate conversations with a 13 years old female student at Black Canyon Middle School in Ammon, Idaho.
Zierke was charged with a misdemeanor enticing of children, Zierke accepted a plea agreement, and pleaded guilty to an amended charge of a misdemeanor, injury to children.
Zierke lost his teaching license Zierke was sentenced 30 Days in Jail with 8 days credit, and 2 years of probation. Zierke does not appear on a sex offender database.
Case Number
CR10-24-09247
File Date
09/24/2024
Charges
Zierke, Justin D
Description Statute Level Date
1 Children-Injury To Child I18-1501(2)M Misdemeanor
Setting Date
9/24/2024
06/05/2025 Plea
1.Children-Injury To Child: Guilty
10/03/2024 Plea
2.Enticing of Children: Not Guilty
Facts
- Criminal: guilty, Pleaded guilty,
- Alleged crime: 2024,
- Convicted: 2025,
- Victims: 1,
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Born: 1980
- Mission: unknown
Sources
- Former local teacher sentenced for having inappropriate relationship with student,
- State revokes certificate of teacher who groomed child Ryan Suppe | ,
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1. Former local teacher sentenced for having inappropriate relationship with student
IDAHO FALLS – A former Black Canyon Middle School drama teacher was sentenced Thursday after admitting to having inappropriate conversations with a student.
Justin Zierke, 45, was sentenced by Magistrate Judge Tawnya Rawlings to 30 days in local jail, with 8 days of credit for time served. After his sentence, he will be placed on two years of supervised probation.
RELATED | Former teacher charged after allegedly having inappropriate relationship with student
If he violates his probation, he could serve up to 142 days in jail.
Zierke was initially charged with misdemeanor enticing of children, but as part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of misdemeanor injury to children.
In the agreement, Zierke also agreed to be fined no more than $2,750 and to extend the no-contact order between him and the victim until the victim turns 18.
BackgroundThe Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office began investigating on Aug. 8 based on information they received regarding a 13-year-old girl and Zierke.
Conversations between the teen and Zierke were found by a relative of the victim in a GroupMe app.
The two talked about how they missed each other, and Zierke told her, “You know nobody should ever see these messages.”
He then said, “I just hope I’m not being some predator taking advantage of you.”
Later, the two made plans to see each other, and he said he would be at school the next day. The teen texted, saying she would “run away” to come see him. He told her not to get into trouble, court records show.
The victim stated that she would ask a family member if she could help clean the school, and Zierke said it was a good idea and to “make it your idea, not mine.”
They also told each other they loved each other, court documents said.
The two discussed their 30-year age gap, and Zierke stated that it was a big deal but, “I don’t care. We will just make it work until it is alright,” the documents said.
On Aug. 7, Zierke asked the 13-year-old in a message, “What are you ok with physically?”
During a forensic interview, the victim told authorities she went to Black Canyon Middle School on a specific date to meet with Zierke to assist him in his classroom.
She reported they “just shared a hug” and said they were working on a local theatrical production. Court documents said she and Zierke held hands on two separate occasions.
The school obtained video surveillance, and the two are seen walking together and entering a classroom on that specific date.
A search warrant was conducted at Zierke’s home, and electronic devices were seized for the investigation.
During an interview with deputies, Zierke admitted to talking with the 13-year-old.
He denied any love interest with her but told law enforcement that he enjoyed her compliments. He told deputies she “boosted his ego and made him feel good.”
Zierke said that she was initiating the conversations.
He denied the accusation that the two held hands but said they high-fived and may have held their hands together briefly.
“While the conversations between Zierke and (the victim) were suggestive and talked a lot about them being in love with each other and wanting to be together, they never exchanged nude images or talked about sex acts,” the deputy wrote in his report.
Court documents explained this is why Zierke was charged with a misdemeanor.
EastIdahoNews.com reached out to Bonneville Joint School District 93 and received the following statement:
“Mr. Justin Zierke is no longer employed by Bonneville Joint School District No. 93. Mr. Zierke’s last day of work with the District was June 6, 2024.
“The District is firmly committed to ensuring a safe, supportive, and respectful environment for all students and staff. In accordance with the district’s policy, we have conducted an investigation and will take the necessary steps in response to those findings, which could include a report to the Professional Standards Commission, which determines whether a teacher’s conduct warrants action to be taken against their teaching credentials.
“While we are committed to transparency, we are legally prohibited from sharing any further details related to our actions in response to the investigation. Our primary focus remains the safety and well-being of our students.”
District officials told EastIdahoNews.com that Zierke submitted his resignation before beginning his contract for the 2024-2025 school year. The board officially accepted his resignation on Aug. 14.
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2. State revokes certificate of teacher who groomed child Ryan Suppe |
Justin Zierke – Bonneville School District
On Thursday, the PSC revoked the certificate of a former middle school drama teacher in Idaho Falls who enticed and groomed a 13-year-old student.
Justin Zierke engaged in “personal, non-school-related communications” with the student and encouraged her to “visit him alone outside of school hours,” according to the PSC complaint. While alone with the student, Zierke made “inappropriate physical contact,” including hugging and holding hands, the complaint says.
After a subsequent arrest by Bonneville County authorities, Zierke pleaded guilty to a charge of misdemeanor injury to children, East Idaho News reported. Last week, a Bonneville County judge sentenced him to 30 days in jail followed by two years of supervisory probation as part of a plea agreement.
East Idaho News reported that Zierke and the student said they loved each other, according to court documents, but a sheriff’s office investigation found no sexually explicit messages shared between the two or discussion of sex acts.
Zierke resigned from his position at Black Canyon Middle School last year.
Documents
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