Senate Committee hears testimony on Bradyn’s Law (MADISON)
At the Capitol, a Senate Committee heard testimony in support of “Bradyn’s Law”, which would increase the punishment for those convicted of sextortion. Brittney Bird is the mother of 15-year-old Bradyn Bohn, who fell victim to a sextortion scam and died by suicide in March, and says passing the law will show Wisconsin is serious about children’s safety and will not tolerate this anymore. Sextortion is a form of child sexual exploitation that involves threatening or blackmailing children, often after tricking them into sending them nude or sexual images. Under the bill, perpetrators of sextortion could be charged with a Class B felony if the victim commits suicide, which would allow for imprisonment up to 60 years. The bill was unanimously passed in the Wisconsin Assembly in June.
Trial date set for Milwaukee judge accused of helping man evade ICE arrest (MILWAUKEE)
A trial date has been set for the Milwaukee County judge accused of helping a man evade arrest by immigration agents. Federal Judge Lynn Adelman on Wednesday set a date of December 15th to start the trial against Judge Hannah Dugan. The US Justice Department accuses Dugan of shielding a man wanted by ICE from arrest during courtroom proceedings in April of this year. Dugan’s attorney attempted to claim that Dugan had immunity from prosecution for actions taken inside her own courtroom, but that was rejected by Judge Adelman last month. The trial is expected to take about a week.
Southern Wisconsin man arrested for 12th offense OWI (JANESVILLE)
A Southern Wisconsin man arrested for 12th offense OWI. Janesville police say officers attempted to stop a driver late Tuesday night, but instead they fled from police. Police deployed stop sticks and forced the driver off the road to end the chase. Officers sent the suspect to get a blood test after a search warrant was issued, because the driver has 11 previous OWI convictions. The man was arrested, and Janesville police are recommending charges of 12th offense OWI, reckless driving, and fleeing.
Kaul joins lawsuit over Wisconsinites’ Medicaid data (UNDATED)
Wisconsin has joined yet another lawsuit against the Trump administration, this one over Wisconsinites’ Medicaid data. Attorney General Josh Kaul says Wisconsin has joined a multistate lawsuit to block the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security from using or sharing state Medicaid data for purposes unrelated to health care. The coalition is attempting to block the federal government from using the data for the purposes of immigration enforcement or population surveillance. In Wisconsin, Medicaid covers approximately 1.26 million people. Nearly half of those are children, and over a quarter of a million are seniors and people with disabilities.
Watch out for strange payment methods to protect yourself from scams, says DATCP
There’s always a new scam going on, but there’s a common thread that connects them all: how do the scammers actually get your money? Wisconsin Consumer Protection director Michelle Reinen says anyone trying to get you to use non-traditional payment methods is probably not legitimate. Cash is impossible to track once you’ve sent it. Other methods to look out for are peer-to-peer cash apps, gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Etherium.
Appleton police safely handle man with ax in police parking lot (APPLETON)
Appleton Police officers face some tense moments early Wednesday morning with a man armed with an axe. The incident began in the Appleton Police Department’s south parking when a lone Appleton police officer encountered a man brandishing an axe. The officer held him at gunpoint and began talking with the suspect. Other officers soon arrived to assist and de-escalate the incident. The man then set the axe down, stepped away and he was taken into custody without further incident. The man then indicated he wanted to force a confrontation with police because he’d been having suicidal thoughts. He was then taken to a local hospital to get help through mental health resources.