of Juneau County
The Messenger ELROY MAN DIRECTOR OF CHALLENGE ACADEMY
VOL 14, NO. 24
LOOK INSIDE FOR YOUR LOCAL NEWS:
Elroy: Page 6 Mauston: Page 4 New Lisbon: Page 8
County: Page 3 Wonewoc: Page 14 Hillsboro: Page 12
Classifieds: Page 15 Legals: Pages 16, 17, 19
THE AWARD WINNING OFFICIAL LEGAL NEWSPAPER OF JUNEAU COUNTY THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013
Search warrant executed in New Lisbon BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD Two New Lisbon men, 49 year old Tobi Swaeringen and 43 year John Tew (aka John Bennett), are facing a felony charge of possession with intent to deliver THC and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. The charges were officially filed on Monday, January 7 and stem from a search warrant that was executed on September 14, 2012. According to the criminal complaint on May 4, 2012 the New Lisbon Police Department received anonymous information of indoor marijuana growing at a residence within the city. The caller stated that their juvenile son had been at the residence and saw approximately 11-15 marijuana plants. The caller went on to state that the plants were about 10 inches in diameter and 40 inches tall. The complaint goes on to state that on June 20, 2012 New Lisbon police officer Kyle Walker performed a garbage check outside of the residence and found plastic baggies with small amounts of a green leafy substance which tested positive for the presence of THC. On September 14, 2012 Juneau County Sheriff's Department Detective Randy Georgeson assisted New Lisbon law enforcement in executing a search warrant at the residence where both Tew and Swearingen resided. While executing the search warrant law enforcement discovered a loaded shotgun, marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Officers also discovered 32 marijuana plants ranging in sizes from 5 inches to 31 inches growing in the basement of the residence Tew reportedly admitted to Officer Walker that he was the one growing the plants but he did not distribute them and that they were for his own personal use. Both Tew and Swearingen are scheduled for a February 6 initial appearance before Juneau County Circuit Court Judge Paul Curran.
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Necedah man charged with assault BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD On Friday, January 4, the Juneau County District Attorney's office filed three felony counts of 1st degree child sexual assault against 41 year old Neil J. Becerra of Necedah. Becerra is scheduled for a February 6 initial appearance before Judge Paul Curran. According to the criminal complaint the allegations leading to the charges date back as far as 1997. It is unclear in the criminal complaint as to when the victim reported the abuse to law enforcement, however, court papers do show that the district attorney's case number related to the case was in 2009. The criminal complaint states Juneau County Detective Shaun Goyette was contacted by the victim and her mother. They alleged that Becerra repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl dating back to 1996 when she was just three years old. They further alleged the abuse continued up to 2004. The victim alleged that if she tried to scream or make noises during the abuse Becerra would put a bandana in her mouth. The complaint goes on to state that in 1997 the girl had been examined by a physician because at the time there was a concern she had been sexually abused. Detective Goyette obtained hospital records from the UW Hospital in Madison and upon review of those records they show the exam revealed possible signs of sexual abuse, including redness and a break in the hymen. Becerra is a registered sex offender. According to court records online, in 2001 he plead no contest to a charge with a 1998 offense date. In 2009 he was charged in Juneau County Circuit Court with multiple felony and misdemeanor counts related to theft, burglary and criminal damage to property. Those charges were dismissed without prejudice during a 2010 preliminary hearing. In 2009 he plead no contest and was found guilty for a felony charge of failure to provide sex offender
Neil J. Becerra information. District Attorney Scott Southworth filed the most recent case against Becerra on Friday during his last day as acting District Attorney. Newly elected Michael Solovey took the oath of office on Monday, January 7, and will now be running the prosecutors office.
Necedah woman charged with negligence in death of autistic male In his last week of office outgoing Juneau County District Attorney Scott Southworth moved forward in filing numerous felony cases including a negligence
charge in the June 2011 death of Suhr Adult Family Home resident, James Karnan. Owner of the home, Judy Suhr, is facing allegations that she neglected to provide adequate care to Karnan under circumstances that caused his death. She is scheduled for a February 20 initial appearance before Juneau County Circuit Judge John Roemer. According to the complaint on June 6, 2011 Necedah ambulance was dispatched to the Suhr Family Adult Family Home for an unresponsive male. Karnan
was transported to Hess Memorial Hospital where he died. On that same day Juneau County Coroner Kathy Kohutko was informed by an nurse at Hess Memorial that Karnan was autistic with other congenital delays. The nurse further stated that Karnan fell at the home and sustained cuts and bruises on his face. He reportedly died after 90 minutes of resuscitative efforts at the hospital. The complaint goes on to state that on June 7, 2011 Detective Shaun Goyette of the Juneau County Sheriff's Department and Deputy
Coroner Lou Brady went to the home where they spoke to Suhr. She is said to have stated that she had provided foster care to Karnan for seven years. Prior to that, and beginning when Karnan was 14 years old, she provided respite care on the weekends. Karnan was placed with her permanently when he turned 21. Goyette and Brady also spoke to an employee at the home, Mandolyn Hobson. Hobson stated that on June 5 she woke at 4:45 a.m. from the sound of the screen door in the home shutting. She checked the bedrooms and
saw Karnan was missing. She reportedly found him lying on the ground outside and at the bottom of some stairs. Upon finding him Hobson noticed he "looked off" and she then contacted Suhr as he was bleeding from a head wound and from his mouth. Suhr lives in a residence next to the home. When she arrived, according to Hobson, they brought Karnan into the home and cleaned his wounds. It was then she said they noticed he was missing a tooth. The missing tooth was found in the home's living room.
After cleaning Karnan Hobson stated that they placed him in bed. On the morning of his death, June 6, 2011, Hobson stated that Karnan "seemed fine" but later a loud crash was heard and Karnan was found in the bathroom lying in a fetal position. His lips, Hobson stated, were blue. Hobson then contacted Suhr who came and noticed his breathing was shallow. It was then 911 was contacted and he was transported to Hess Memorial Hospital in Mauston. See DEATH, Page 3