CLINTONVILLE (WI)
Green Bay Press Gazette [Green Bay WI]
September 30, 2025
By Vivian Barrett
A Madison priest was charged with attempted child sex crimes after prosecutors allege he traveled to Clintonville to meet who he thought was a 14-year-old girl.
Here’s what to know about the case.
Who is charged?
Andrew Showers, 37, of Madison.
Prior to his arrest, Showers served as a Catholic priest in the Diocese of Madison. Showers has since been restricted from the ministry, according to the diocese, and his profile of the diocese’s website says he is on administrative leave.
What are the charges?
Showers is charged in Waupaca County with:
- Attempted use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, a felony.
- Attempted child enticement, a felony.
- Attempted second-degree sexual assault of a child under 16 years old, a felony.
What happened?
According to a criminal complaint:
- On Aug. 10, a Clintonville police sergeant was performing online undercover investigations posing as a 14-year-old girl named Abby. The sergeant created a Reddit post on a subreddit called “Fox Valley Blowjobs” indicating that he was a female looking for a male in Wisconsin.
- A Reddit user with the name DFALK7, later identified as Showers, sent a private message indicating he was a 36-year-old man near Baileys Harbor. The sergeant replied by stating that Abby was 14 years old. Showers went on to say he was originally from Madison but was in the area on vacation.
- On Aug. 16, the sergeant continued the conversation, which became increasingly sexually explicit by Showers. Messages included asking Abby about her sexual history and indicating a desire to have sexual contact with Abby.
- The conversation later moved to an application called Telegram. On Aug. 18, Showers proposed meeting in person on Aug. 25. The messages surrounding this proposal were also sexually explicit. Showers ultimately indicated that he had gotten a room at a hotel and would meet up with Abby on Aug. 24.
- Showers continued asking sexually explicit questions and stated he wanted to have sex with Abby.
- On Aug. 24, Clintonville police were positioned near Pigeon Lake Wayside Park, where Showers had instructed Abby to meet him between 7 and 8 p.m. Around 7:30 p.m., officers saw a vehicle enter the park and identified the driver as the same person who was depicted in photos sent to Abby. Showers exited the vehicle and was arrested.
- Police seized two hotel room keys from Showers when they arrested him.
- After he was transported to the Clintonville Police Department, Showers wrote a letter addressed to Abby in which he apologized for his actions. He wrote that he had put his “own desires, wants, and brokenness before [her] wellbeing … and I am sorry that you were the recipient and victim of my poor decisions and selfish pursuits.”
What’s next?
Showers was booked into the Waupaca County Jail following his arrest but was released Aug. 28 after paying a $10,000 cash bail, according to court records. He made his initial appearance in court Sept. 30 and returns Dec. 3 for a status conference.