MADISON (WI)
WMTV 15 [Madison, WI]
August 24, 2026
By Juliana Tornabene
A former Madison priest out on bond for child sex crime charges in Waupaca County was back in court Monday on new charges in Marathon County.
Andrew Showers is accused of attempted grooming of a child for sexual activity and two counts of bail jumping.
According to a Wausau Police Department report, an officer conducted an undercover investigation from late 2025 through July 2026. The officer posed as a 15-year-old girl and was communicating online with Showers, who is 38 years old.
The police officer reported Showers repeatedly acknowledged that the alleged victim was underage, that he had a legal risk when talking to a minor and he knew the consequences of what could happen if he was caught.
The officer started screenshotting and recording the conversations in March 2026, which was seven months after Showers was first arrested on charges related to child sex crimes in Waupaca County.
Based on photos captured of Showers, Wausau Police Department determined the person they were talking to was Showers after seeing news articles on Facebook showing his face and arrest history.
Showers stopped communicating with the undercover officer on July 28, when he allegedly cited new laws and fear of severe criminal penalties for speaking with a minor.
Wisconsin passed a law earlier this year making grooming a felony offense in Wisconsin.
Showers was arrested in August 2025 after agreeing to meet with a minor, who was actually a Clintonville Police Department sergeant posing as a 14-year-old girl.
In March, Showers was charged with child pornography after digital evidence was allegedly found on his phone.
Showers was defrocked on June 25, releasing him of all priest duties and barring him from performing acts of ministry.
Showers was out on a $10,000 bond through Waupaca County at the time of the new charges in Marathon County.
A new $15,000 bond was set Monday in Marathon County. The judge ordered bond conditions that Showers may not leave the state, is not allowed to access the internet or chat online and he is not allowed to speak to minors.
Showers has a status conference scheduled for Sept. 16 in Waupaca County. A future hearing in Marathon County has not yet been posted.