of Juneau County
The Messenger KENDALL WESTERN FASHION SHOW VOL 14, NO. 33
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
THE AWARD WINNING OFFICIAL LEGAL NEWSPAPER OF JUNEAU COUNTY THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013
Necedah man charged again BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD Last Friday, Juneau County District Attorney Micheal Solovey filed 14 felony charges against 41 year old Neil J. Becerra of Necedah. All of the charges filed pertain to child sexual assault and allege that Becerra had assaulted a female victim who is also a family member. The abuse is claimed to have begun in July of 2012 and continued on until February of this year. Becerra is a registered sex offender as the result of a guilty/no contest plea in a 2001 2nd degree child sexual assault charge for an assault that took place in December of 1998 and resulted in the victim becoming pregnant. The recent charges come just shortly after Solovey dismissed another case against Becerra, and one that also dealt with felony child sexual assault charges. The alleged victim in that case was also a young female relative of Becerra but not the same victim in the most recent case. When Solovey dropped the previous charges in January of this year he issued a press release that stated: "The recent filing and dismissal of criminal charges against Mr. Neil J. Becerra of Necedah involved acts which allegedly occurred nine years ago; which were referred to the District Attorney's office four years ago; and which were filed by the previous District Attorney on January 4, 2013 - the last day of his term. Once prosecution commenced in earnest, it became immediately apparent to law enforcement that there was not sufficient evidence to sustain a prosecution or support a verdict of guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” According to the criminal complaint backing the most recent child sexual charges on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, Detective Shaun Goyette of the Juneau County Sheriff's Department stated he observed Robin Denger, a Child Protection Services Manager with Juneau County Human Services, conduct an interview with a 13 year old female. It was in that interview where the girl alleged that Becerra had sexual intercourse with her on multiple occasions from July of 2012 through to February 2013. The girl stated that the acts took place in Becerra's workshop in Necedah as well as his residence on Queens Way in the Town of Necedah. On the day the interview took place Becerra was picked up by law enforcement and held at the Juneau County Jail on a probation hold where he remained up to this Monday, March 11, at which time he went before Judge Paul Curran for a bond hearing. At Monday's hearing Becerra was represented by defense attorney Elizabeth Mitchel. District Attorney Solovey appeared on the behalf of the State of Wisconsin. Solovey requested that Becerra be placed on a $50,000 cash bond stating that he had a significant criminal past. See BECERRA, page 3
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Blight reduction begins in Mauston BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD The house that once stood at 531 State Street in Mauston stands there no more. Last Thursday morning it was demolished to make way for Kwik Trip to take over and use for what, as of yet has not been disclosed. According to Mauston City Administrator Nathan Thiel the city approached both Kwik Trip and the property owner Eugene Bloom (EEE Investments, LLC) once the city learned of some grant money that could be used to facili- The house at 531 State Street in Mauston was demolished late last week and tate a business transac- the property will be sold to Kwik Trip. tion. Thiel stated the following in an email correspondence and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). Mauston received a total of $39,000 to be used on 6 propto the Messenger: "In the instance of 531 and after learning of the grant erties for the blight elimination project. Thiel stated that $6,000 was used from the grant money and some interest on Kwik Trip’s part, the City approached individually both EEE Investments (Gene to raze the property at 531 State Street. Up to about a Bloom) and Kwik Trip to see if there was a willingness to month prior to the city demolishing the residence is was sell and willingness to purchase. There was so the City occupied by renters. Present Thursday morning for the demolition project facilitated the sale. There was no direct communication between the two entities. We discussed terms with EEE was Secretary Peter Bildsten and Communications Investments, we discussed terms with Kwik Trip. EEE Director for the Department of Financial Institutions. Secretary Bildsten stated that the blight reduction proinvestments understood that the City was negotiating for a third, undisclosed party. There was mutual agreement gram has been well received in the communities that have on the terms. EEE Investments deeded the property to the received the funding. Mauston was one of seven communities awarded the City for the purposes of demolition. The City has an offer to purchase and will deed over the property to Kwik Trip funds this past autumn. Those funds were made possible from non-mortgage related settlements received by after demolition of the property." Thiel went on to state the funds used to purchase the Department of Financial Institutions. The communities receiving the grant money were Eau property from EEE Investments came out of the city's reserve. The city attained the property from $46,000 and Claire, 1 property totaling $18,950; Mauston, 6 properexpects to be closing the deal with Kwik Trip for the ties totaling $39,000; Merrill, 1 property totaling $20,000; Oconomowoc, 3 properties totaling $24,000; same amount. The grant money used to raze the building was award- Oconto County, 4 properties totaling $46,195; Portage, 1 ed to the city from the Wisconsin Department of property totaling $25,000; Wausau, 3 properties totaling Financial Institutions (DFI) and the Wisconsin Housing $45,000.
Hillsboro Police arrest several on drug charges Hillsboro Police Chief Thomas Richardson recently reported that on March 1st Hillsboro Sgt. Clark was on patrol and noticed suspicious activity in the 100 block of Madison Street in the city of Hillsboro. Upon further
investigation and with the help of Deputy Brian James of the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department, Zackary Sims, 20 of rural Hillsboro, was arrested for underage drinking, possession of a controlled sub-
stance, child pornography and obstructing and officer and also a probation violation. On March 4th, as the investigation continued, Sgt. Clark discovered another suspect. Ellen Townsend, 41
of Hillsboro will be charged with seven counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and one county of obstructing an officer. Through this investigation it was found that Townsend
has been selling prescription drugs out of her home in Hillsboro. Information obtained from the suspects will promote further investigation and possible charges on other suspects.