Wayzata businessman Wanner accused in child sex assault at athletic club pool
William Wanner, a successful Wayzata businessman, was arrested and charged with two felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual after being accused of molesting a 10-year-old girl at the Minneapolis Club in December. (See update below.)
Wanner is 67 years old. He's enough of an acquaintance of the girl's mother that he has "often" taken the girl to the club, located on 2nd Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, according to the criminal complaint. It says a witness at the pool swimming laps at about 3:50 p.m. on Dec. 27 saw Wanner pull down the girl's bathing suit "from the crotch area and stick his hand inside the child's swimsuit" in the club's hot tub.
Surveillance video, obtained after Minneapolis police began an investigation, shows the incident described by the witness, as well as another similar encounter between Wanner and the defendant on Dec. 7. Interviewed later in the investigation, the girl said Wanner was massaging her after telling her that it would feel good.
From Dec. 7:
"The defendant pulls the victim to a corner of the hot tub, positions himself behind her and places his hands on the victim's groin area for several minutes," the complaint says. "The defendant and the victim exit the hot tub and both enter the women's changing room together."
Dec. 27 surveillance footage from the pool area mirrors the witness's account: Wanner and the girl can be seen "in close contact" as the witness leaves the pool. Once she's gone,
"The defendant pulls the victim to the same corner of the hot tub, positions himself behind the victim and places her left leg on the edge of the hot tub. Thereafter, the defendant's hands are observed on the victim's groin area for several minutes. The defendant then turns the victim around to face him and both the victim and the defendant take turns touching the defendant's groin area. The defendant and the victim exit the hot tub and both enter the women's changing room together."
Wanner is the CEO of Wanner Engineering in Hopkins. Police arrested him there on Monday morning. He was released from the Hennepin County jail after posting a half-million dollar bond and surrendering his passport. He's due back in court on Tuesday.
The Minneapolis Club has revoked his membership and banned him from the club.
You can read the full criminal complain by clicking here.
*Update note: The criminal complaint cited in this report said the alleged sexual assaults happened at the Minneapolis Athletic Club, 729 2nd Ave. South. Subsequent reporting shows that that address belongs to the exclusive Minneapolis Club. The alleged incident did not happen at the Minneapolis Athletic Club.
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