3/7/24 Hometown Broadcasting News Thursday
7 March 2024 News
EDEN MAN SENTENCED ON ARSON CHARGES
The 40-year-old Eden man who set a series of grass and marsh fires was recently sentenced in Fond du Lac County court. In January Daniel Enright pled guilty to two counts of intentionally setting fire to another’s land, and two counts of arson. Three other charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to three years in prison, three years of extended supervision, and two years of probation. He was also ordered to pay nearly $1,100 in restitution to the DNR’s Northern Kettle Moraine Unit. According to the criminal complaint charges stemmed from fires that he set, the earliest dating back to March 27th of 2020. Enright allegedly admitted to setting those fires usually to relieve stress. He told investigators with the Sheriff’s Office and DNR some of that stress came with the birth of his child and another was set after a fight with his fiancée. He was suspected of burning approximately 60 acres of land.
WAUPUN CORRECTIONAL PRISON DEATHS
According to Dodge County Medical Examiner PJ Schoebel two of the four inmates that have died at Waupun Correctional Institution since last June died of a drug overdose and a stroke. Thirty-year-old Tyshun Lemons was found dead at the prison on October 2nd. Twenty-four-year-old Cameron Williams was found dead on October 30th. Schoebel says Lemons overdosed on acetyl fentanyl, a potent opioid painkiller. He has ruled Lemon’s death accidental. Schoebel says a blood vessel burst in Williams’ brain resulting in a fatal stroke. Dean Hoffman killed himself in solitary confinement last June. Donald Maier was found dead at the prison on February 22nd. Their deaths are still being investigated. The Department of Corrections instituted lockdowns at Waupun as well as at prisons in Green Bay and Stanley last year due to a shortage of guards.
FDL PSYCHIATRIST SENTENCED FOR SELLING ILLICIT DRUGS
A Fond du Lac psychiatrist has been sentenced to 4 years in prison and 3 years of extended supervision after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and lying to federal agents. Seventy-seven-year-old John Whelan was sentenced Monday by Federal Judge Brett Ludwig. Judge Ludwig described Whelan as committing an “extremely serious drug offense,” in which Whelan engaged in a scheme to distribute controlled substance prescriptions in exchange for cash. Judge Ludwig recounted how Whelan made more than a quarter of a million dollars by selling improper and illicit prescriptions, abusing his position as a physician. The judge added, “Rather than seeking to truly care for his patients, Mr. Whelan sought simply to fund a lavish lifestyle.” The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lake Winnebago Area MEG Unit investigated the case.
SPEEDING STOP RESULTS IN DRUG ARREST
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s officials say a 35-year-old Oshkosh man is facing multiple charges after he was stopped for speeding on Interstate 41 last week. The man was on probation for cocaine trafficking and has a lengthy criminal history of drug convictions. He had two juveniles in the vehicle with him. A deputy searched the vehicle after spotting drug paraphernalia in plain sight. The search yielded five ounces of crack cocaine found near the children, a jar of marijuana, and a significant amount of cash. The driver was also found to be under the influence. He was arrested for cocaine trafficking, marijuana possession second offense, contributing to the neglect of a child-exposure to drugs, and his first OWI offense with an enhancer for having a passenger under 16. Both children were released to the custody of a responsible adult. (Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s photo).
JURY TRIAL SET IN CHILD NEGLECT CASE THAT RESULTED IN BOY’S DEATH
A four-day jury trial has been scheduled in Dodge County court for a 37-year-old Milwaukee man facing child neglect charges for his role in the death of his three-year-old son. Frank Pleester is charged with three counts of neglecting a child with a consequence of bodily harm and one count of obstructing an officer. Pleester allegedly knew about the mother’s neglect of the child and her drug use. In July of 2021 36-year-old Jamie Hildebrandt of Lomira was sentenced to 10 years in prison on a charge stemming from her son’s death in March of 2020. Pleester’s jury trial is scheduled to begin on September 30th.
FDL MAN SENTENCED ON OWI AND FLEEING CHARGES
A 52-year-old Fond du Lac man has been sentenced to four years in prison and five years of extended supervision for fleeing from Dodge County Sheriff’s deputies while he was under the influence. During a hearing on February 27th Wayne Bagneski pled no contest to his 7th OWI and a felony fleeing charge. He was sentenced during the hearing. Two other charges were read into the record and dismissed. According to the criminal complaint Bagneski fled from a Sheriff’s deputy in the town of Beaver Dam last November. The deputy was trying to pull him over after running the license plates and finding the registered owner had a revoked license. The pursuit ended about 2 miles later when Bagneski stopped his vehicle on Kellom Road and fled on foot. He was caught after a short foot chase.
DODGE COUNTY CLERK KAREN GIBSON RETIRING
Dodge County Clerk Karen Gibson is retiring after over 21 years of serving the county in that post. She became Dodge County Clerk in January of 2003, but has worked for the county since September of 1992. Gibson says she has the ability to retire due to spending more than 30 years in the Wisconsin Retirement System. She also says the presidential election in November of 2020 changed everything and she doesn’t want to work another presidential election. Gibson also praised the municipal clerks in Dodge County saying she will miss working with them. Her last day with the county will be on May 17th.
WATER MAN BREAK IN RIPON
Ripon officials are advising residents of a water main/service break on Union Street just south of the Highway 23/Union Street intersection. Crews will start repairs at 10 am this morning. The city has posted maps of the detour route and impacted area on its Facebook page. They also apologized for the inconvenience.
FOREIGN ADVERSARY BILL
State Representative Alex Dallman recently introduced legislation, which will prohibit any public entity from contracting with certain U.S. foreign adversaries such as the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and others. The bill will protect Wisconsinites from taxpayer funds being used to purchase People’s Republic of China-Owned or any affiliated manufacturer technology. In recent years, the State of Wisconsin has spent nearly $5 million on Chinese-owned technology. The practice may have made Wisconsinite’s data and infrastructure more vulnerable to infiltration. The state lawmaker from Green Lake says, “The State of Wisconsin should not be purchasing any technology from foreign countries who want to undermine the United States.”
OCI ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS
The state’s Office of the Commissioner of Insurance took administrative action against two insurance agents and an insurance company from the area last month. The Office revoked the insurance licenses of Jacob Gentz of Beaver Dam and Patrick Smith of Oshkosh. In both cases the actions were taken based on allegations of owing delinquent Wisconsin taxes. In addition, Mt. Morris Mutual Insurance Company of Coloma agreed to pay a forfeiture of $250 and agreed to reinstate a customer’s personal auto policy. The action was taken based on allegations of failing to provide proper notice of nonrenewal.
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