Messenger 061313

Page 1

of Juneau County

The Messenger ED BROOKS COMES TO UNION CENTER FOR CENTENNIAL

VOL 14, NO. 46

LOOK INSIDE FOR YOUR LOCAL NEWS:

Elroy: Page 6 Mauston: Page 4 New Lisbon: Page 8

County: Page 3 Wonewoc: Page 14 Hillsboro: Page 10

Classifieds: Page 16 Legals: Pages 17–21

THE AWARD WINNING OFFICIAL LEGAL NEWSPAPER OF JUNEAU COUNTY THURSDAY, JUNE 13, 2013

$1.00

Elroy man faces federal charges BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD Last week a federal grand jury sitting in Madison indicted 45 year old Timothy D. Mueller of Elroy on numerous charges of fraud and identity theft. Mueller is charged with eight counts of wire fraud, and two counts of identity theft. According to the indictment Mueller was the owner of businesses in the sale of residential windows and doors. Those business were Advance Home Tech/Custom Creations and Windesign. Reports state that the indictments allege that Mueller falsely entered sales on GE Money Bank credit cards and that the GE Money Bank would wire transfer payments on the sales to accounts Mueller had designated for such transactions. Additionally, Mueller is alleged to have required his sales team to have customers fill out applications for a GE Money Bank credit card. If convicted, Mueller faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, and two years on each identity theft count, which would be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. In a prior 2009 case WEAU reported that Mueller made a plea deal after investigators say he applied for credit cards under his customers’ names. Mueller pleaded guilty to an amended charge of merchant fraud in Eau Claire County Court. The 2009 WEAU report went on to say that the criminal complaint stated Mueller did business under the name "Advanced Home Tech" and "Custom Creations" and that he tried to get customers who were buying windows and doors to run their credit for financing. At the time investigators stated the credit cards were applied for and used. He was fined $728.00. This year in the Juneau County Circuit Court Mueller was charged with disorderly conduct as a repeat offender. In April a cash bond was set at $500 which Mueller did post. For the disorderly conduct charge, he is scheduled for a July 23, 2013 plea hearing. As for the most recent federal indictment, the charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Eau Claire Police Department, and Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Przybylinski Finn.

400 TRAIL CELEBRATES 20 YEARS Over in Wonewoc, the 40et8 train was up and running on the trails to Union Center. The train car was restored and able to have people on board to experience not only the beauty of the 400 trail, but also learn more about the history. See more about the celebration up and down the trails in this issue.

Drugs sent to Juneau County Jail inmate BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD An inmate in Juneau County Jail and her sister are facing drug related charges. According to a criminal complaint 32 year old Raya Hansen was having her sister, Staareze Mickelson, send her mail to the jail with Suboxone hidden under the stamp on the envelope. Information leading to the charges came to law enforcement by another inmate within the jail. The complaint states that Deputy Danica Ferguson was tipped off on the "special letters" while she was on duty and patrolling the jail. An investigation revealed that mail sent by Mickelson to

Hansen did have the drug hidden under the stamp. In total, law enforcement discovered five envelopes in Hansen's jail property that had been tampered with. Juneau County Detective Ben Goehring interviewed Hansen who waived her rights and is said to have admitted to once being addicted to pain pills and had her prescriptions cut off because of missing doctor appointments. Hansen is also said to have admitted to lifting the stamps on the letters but denied receiving the drugs. See DRUGS, page 3

Mauston foot pursuit leads to arrest BY EVA MARIE WOYWOD Late last Tuesday afternoon Mauston downtown businesses were on a lock down due to a foot pursuit of a suspect who was spotted behind Randall's Uptown Bar wielding a machete.

Ezekiel Smith

That subject was Ezekiel Smith, a 26 year old Milwaukee man. According to Kathleen Engleman, owner of the Mauston Pre-School, at the time of the pursuit students in her care were unable to leave the building. Smith was eventually apprehended inside Boberg's Gas and Go gas station. According to witnesses he was found hiding in the freezer section of the business. At the time of his apprehension reports state he had three municipal warrants and was placed on a probation hold. On Wednesday, June 5, Smith was charged with car-

rying a concealed weapon, resisting an officer, and disorderly conduct. He was placed on a $2,500 signature bond and scheduled for a

July 10th initial appearance. Smith has a lengthy past of criminal history which includes convictions in Clark and Milwaukee coun-

ties on battery by a prisoner and willingly violating a domestic abuse order.

Law enforcement searched the area for a weapon the man was carrying.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.