Coon Valley woman arrested on child sexual assault charges

A 33-year-old Coon Valley woman is arrested on charges she sexually assaulted underage children multiple times.

Vernon County Sheriff Roy Torgerson and Reedsburg Police Chief Patrick Cummings announced the arrest of Ashley Ann Benson Tuesday afternoon.

Their statement said a joint investigation began last month after they got a report of a woman assaulting the underage victims multiple times. The incidents happened in a number of places they said.

Hillsboro Police also assisted in the investigation.

Benson was taken into custody on Monday afternoon on charges of Sex Assault of Student by School Staff, 2nd Degree Sexual Assault of a child, and Sex with a child age 16 or older.

She appeared in court Tuesday morning and released on a $5,000 signature bond and ordered to have no contact with the victims or anyone under the age of 18 except for incidental contact in public places.

Benson is due to return to court on July 22.

The statement said additional charges against Benson are expected in Sauk County and other jurisdictions.

Benson was previously employed at both a private and public K-12 school in the Viroqua area according to the statement.