KENOSHA — A former substitute teacher at Bradford High School has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to sending explicit sexual messages to a then-15-year-old male student.
Alex Poyner was sentenced Thursday to five years — two years of initial confinement in a Wisconsin State Prison followed by three years of extended supervision. He is also required to register as a sex offender for 15 years.
The victim's mother addressed the court before sentencing was handed down.
"Thinking why my son, why any child," she said. "Teachers are supposed to look out for the best interest for the children and the community, and Mr. Poyner has failed to do that."
Poyner also spoke in court — expressing regret for his actions.
"Looking back at what I've done, every single day, I wish I could undo what I did. Every single day," Poyner said.
Watch: Former Bradford High School substitute teacher sentenced to prison for sending explicit messages to student
TMJ 4 News first covered this story in February 2025, when Poyner was charged with 17 counts of sexual misconduct. According to a criminal complaint, Poyner sent sexual messages to the student on Instagram throughout 2024. The case came to light in October 2024 when the student confided in his assistant principal at Bradford High School, who then alerted a school resource officer.
Poyner later admitted to detectives it was "probably unprofessional" to be messaging the student, but claimed he did not intend for the messages to be construed as sexual.
Poyner was also a substitute teacher at West Allis-West Milwaukee and Nicolet Union High School at the time.
He pleaded guilty ahead of sentencing. He received credit for five days already served.
Kenosha County District Attorney Xavier Solis pushed for the maximum sentence in the case.
"We take these types of crimes very seriously, especially when individuals are in a place of trust," Solis said. "When they are teachers or substitute teachers, principals, and they are taking advantage of our children."
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