RACINE — A former Racine police officer has been criminally charged with sexual assault.
Prosecutors say 30-year-old Caleb McKenzie forced a tattoo artist to have sex with him inside a tattoo parlor on August 22 in Racine County.
TMJ4 learned McKenzie was charged two weeks ago with 2nd Degree Sexual Assault because our Lighthouse investigative team is investigating every Brady list officer in southeastern Wisconsin.
The Racine County District Attorney says McKenzie was Brady flagged for alleged credibility concerns in January, 8 months before prosecutors say McKenzie assaulted a tattoo artist he knew.
McKenzie and his attorney, Patrick Cafferty, declined to comment after a brief court hearing Tuesday.
Prosecutors say on August 22, McKenzie was brought to a tattooing room for an appointment with the door closed.
Court records state that the tattoo artist told investigators that once the session ended, “McKenzie exposed himself and said ‘I need an extra service.’"
The criminal complaint states that after the victim said no, prosecutors say McKenzie allegedly forced her to have sex.
Court records state that the victim “repeatedly told McKenzie to ‘stop.’” The criminal complaint goes on to say, “{The victim} did not yell or try to run because McKenzie is much stronger than her, and she knew he was a former police officer — a fact that scared her."
TMJ4 is not naming that tattoo business or its location in Racine County to protect the identity of the victim.
Court records show that when McKenzie was questioned about the assault, McKenzie told investigators that the sexual intercourse was "consensual, and that {the tattoo artist} initiated it.”
McKenzie was initially given a $5,000 signature bond, meaning he originally didn’t have to pay a dime to remain out of custody so long as he showed up to future court hearings.
Court records show that changed after the district attorney’s office asked the court commissioner to reconsider—and cash bail was then set at $20,000.
TMJ4’s Duty to Disclose investigation found that McKenzie is one of around 140 officers who are Brady ‘flagged’ across 10 counties in southeastern Wisconsin. It is a registry named after a U.S. Supreme Court case that flags officers with alleged credibility concerns, including past accusations of dishonesty, bias, or crimes. District Attorney Patricia Hanson tells TMJ4 that McKenzie was added to Racine County’s Brady list in January for a separate incident involving alleged dishonesty.
The Racine Police Department declined to explain what McKenzie was allegedly untruthful about when asked on Thursday.
Wisconsin Department of Justice records obtained by TMJ4 show McKenzie resigned prior to the completion of an internal investigation into a separate incident in September 2025, after 6 years of service.
DA Hanson says McKenzie is one of three former Racine Police Department officers on Racine County’s Brady list for alleged dishonesty.
TMJ4 is just days away from revealing the names of every Brady ‘flagged’ officer across ten counties in southeastern Wisconsin. Several defense attorneys and public defenders like Kevin Smith say they believe it’s information the public deserves to know.
“In the hands of a defense attorney who knows what they're doing, this is very powerful evidence to undermine their case,” Smith said.
TMJ4 is launching our expanded Duty to Disclose investigation after Sunday Night Football on Nov. 15. TMJ4 will also publish a searchable Brady list database on TMJ4.com on Nov. 15.
As for McKenzie, court records show he has not yet entered a plea. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison. He’s due back in court for a preliminary hearing in January.
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