THE STANGL LAW BLOG

When a person hears the word "felony," many different ideas come to mind, and often the assumption is that they have committed, or have been accused of, a very severe crime.

But in Wisconsin, the state legislature has classified nine different classes of felonies, from Class A, the most serious to class I, which is the least serious. Depending on what a defendant is convicted of, sentencing for these crimes can be as severe as life imprisonment for a Class A felony to a fine of up to $10,000 for a class I felony and/or up to 3 1/2 years in prison.

In today’s culture, being accused of a sexual offense usually comes with a “guilty until proven innocent” response from the public. Sex crimes almost always carry heavy penalties and consequences that affect your everyday life, long after any formal punishments come to an end.

Mandatory registration as a sex offender, comparatively large fines, and mandatory minimum jail sentences are commonly associated with sex offenses in Wisconsin, as well as the rest of the country.

If you’ve been accused of a sex offense in Madison, Wisconsin, it’s crucial you have a full understanding of both the charges being levied against you, and what you need to do next to protect yourself.

Ghosts, goblins and...sex offenders? It may not surprise you to learn that many parents across Wisconsin become anxious at Halloween, not knowing if their child's next "Trick or Treat" will come after knocking on the door of a registrered sex offender.

It might surprise you to learn that individuals listed on the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry may agree that October 31st can, indeed, be the scariest night of the year due to both increased restrictions and increased scrutiny of law enforcement on Halloween.

This article covers the rules registered sex offenders must follow on Halloween in Wisconsin. While serving as an important guideline to those listed on the Registry, this information can also serve as a resource for parents.

If you were recently stopped and searched by police in Wisconsin, you're likely wondering, "When are police allowed to search my vehicle?"

To gain a better understanding of this important point, it's helpful to understand the meaning of "probable cause" under Wisconsin law.

Keep reading to learn more about the Wisconsin probable cause definition, examples of probable cause, and what police can do under the protection of probable search in Wisconsin.

After an arrest in Wisconsin, it's common to wonder how soon you can get out on bail and what it will cost. However, not everyone who is arrested is granted bail.

Being granted bail is not guaranteed in Wisconsin.

Whether or not you are found eligible for bail will be up to the judge presiding over your initial court appearance, also called an arraignment.

After reviewing the charges you're facing and the details surrounding your arrest, the judge will take into account any prior criminal convictions on your record. The judge relies on this information, combined with a number of other factors, to decide whether or not to grant bail in your case.

 
Like most people, you probably have a general idea of what bail is: money you pay to get out of jail. However, there is much more to bail than that. Eligibility, costs, payment options and other requirements all come into play.

If you've been arrested and are wondering how to get out of jail in Wisconsin, it’s important to have a thorough understanding of the conditions surrounding bail in order to avoid further complications to your legal situation.

There are a number of ways innocent people may be charged with possession of child pornography in Wisconsin.

Even a one-time user of a computer may contaminate the memory cache (a place on your hard disk where the browser keeps things that it downloaded in case they’re needed again) with this contraband.

In addition, files can be downloaded without prior knowledge of what they contain. Someone can also hack your computer to view child pornography without your knowledge.

This article will define Wisconsin's law regarding possession of child pornography and give you a better idea of what constitutes this type of content.

If you suspect you are being investigated for a criminal offense relating to child pornography in Wisconsin, contact an experienced Wisconsin defense lawyer right away.

A statute of limitation sets a specific period of time the state can prosecute a particular crime. After that time passes, they lose the right to bring a case forever.

Generally speaking, the more serious or violent the crime, the longer the statute of limitation is and some offenses have no limitation at all. In certain situations, the state can be granted additional time to bring a case by having the statute of limitation tolled or suspended. (Wis. Stat. § 939.74) 

Have questions regarding the statute of limitations for your offense? Click here to contact me for a free consultation.

Three men from central Wisconsin are facing felony charges after they were arrested in a multi-agency investigation aimed at finding online child sex predators. The sting was called Operation Black Veil III and lasted for four days. It netted a total of 16 arrests in six different counties, including northeastern and north-central Wisconsin.

The aim of the sting was to target child sex predators who prey on children through the internet. Officers from Marathon, Door, Brown and Outagamie counties took part in the operation who posed as 15-year-old boys and girls in search of sexual encounters on Craigslist ads.

23-year-old Shayd C. Mitchell and 21-year-old Pravong Thangdora, both from Wausau face charges in Marathon County Circuit Court along with 28-year-old Robert L. Spreeman of Arpin. They all are facing felony charges for using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime. Each of them faces a maximum 40-year prison sentence.