Dec. 28, 2016 – Town of Erin, WI – Neighbors in the Town of Erin are calling an emergency meeting as the state works to place a convicted sex offender in their community. Last week http://www.washingtoncountyinsider.com ran a letter from Washington County Sheriff Dale Schmidt regarding the placement of Terry Olson.
Since then a meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Erin Town Hall. The notice below will be received by neighbors in the coming days.
MEETING NOTICE: REGARDING SEX OFFENDER PLACEMENT ON TERRY ROAD in TOWNSHIP OF ERIN
WHERE: ERIN TOWN HALL 1846 HWY 83 HARTFORD, WI 53027
WHEN: THURSDAY, JANUARY 5 AT 6:30PM
TOPIC: PLACEMENT OF SEX PREDATOR BY STATE OF WIS. ON 1898 TERRY Road in the Township of Erin
-ISSUES TO PREVENT THIS PLACEMENT TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN
SAY NO TO A VIOLENT SEXUAL PREDATOR PROPOSED FOR ERIN TOWNSHIP
-TERRY OLSON IS A CONVICTED SEX PREDATOR JAILED IN 1990 FOR CHILD MOLESTATION.
-THE WIS. DEPT. OF HEALTH SERVICES IS INTERESTED IN PLACING HIM IN A HOME AT 1898 TERRY RD. (LESS THAN ½ MILE FROM ERIN SCHOOL)
-HE IS A DANGER TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN, THE CHILDREN AT ERIN SCHOOL AND THE AREA SOCCER FIELDS.
-HE IS CLASSIFIED AS NEEDING CONSTANT SUPERVISION AND HAS BEEN JUDGED AS LIKELY TO BE A REPEAT OFFENDER WHEN RELEASED.
FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY PLEASE CONTACT ALL OF THE FOLLOWING PERSONS AND TELL THEM IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE TO PUT OUR CHILDREN IN DANGER BY PLACING A CONVICTED DISTURBED PEDAPHILE NEAR OUR SCHOOL, OUR ATHLETIC FIELDS, AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD CHILDREN.
STOP THIS PLAN NOW!
CONTACTS
CHRISTINA JOHNSON WIS. DEPT OF HEALTH SERVICES CASE HANDLER
301 TROY DR. (BLG 14) MADISON, WI 53704
Christina .johnson@dhs.wi.gov
DALE SCHMIDT WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF
www.washingtoncountysheriffwi.org
262 335 4388
DENNIS KENEALY TOWNSHIP CHAIRMAN
262 673 7214
ANDREW GONRING WASHINGTON COUNTY JUDGE OF THIS CASE
262 335 4341
MARK BENSEN DIST. ATTORNEY WASHINGTON COUNTY
262 335 4311
ALBERTA DARLING WIS STATE SENATOR
608 266 5830
JANEL BRANDTJEN WIS STATE REPRESENTATIVE FOR OUR AREA (DIST.22)
888 534 0022
Rep.brandtjen@legis.wisconsin.gov
12-20-2016
Town of Erin Residents
As you may know, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office was requested by the WI Dept. of Health Services to provide a report with information relating to a prospective residential option for placement of a “serious child sex offender,” by the Dept. of Health Services under WI Statute 980.08. The statute does not permit me to disclose the address or name of the person considered for placement.
The Sheriff’s Office completed the report and forwarded to the Dept. of Health Services on 12/19/2016. A redacted copy is attached. (see below)
The potential release of this offender under statute 980 “Sexually Violent Persons Commitment” is not the same as the more common release of offenders who have served their prison sentence. The offender in question has been held in custody by the state past his prison sentence under provisions in the statute. His release requires a more formal process of evaluation by court appointed examiners, and review by a judge. If in the opinion of the judge, certain criteria are met the judge can order “supervised release” or “discharge.” In this case, the petition by the offender was for “supervised release” and the judge has granted it. That actually occurred in June of 2015. The offender has not yet been released because there are more requirements.
The Dept. of Health Services must prepare a report that includes numerous items, including where the offender will live and the supervision required. Without getting into great detail, the judge has reviewed such a plan and ordered placement at a residence in Fond du lac County. He has since suspended that order pending further investigation of residences in Washington County, which is the original residence of the offender. This case is still in the investigation stage prior to the Dept. of Health Services issuing a report to the judge. It is my understanding that the department is still searching for/reviewing possible places of residence for the offender in Washington County. If none is found, the judge may move forward with his original decision.
If a new acceptable release plan with a residence in Washington County is presented to the judge and he orders that placement, the Sheriff’s Office will receive a Special Bulletin Notification on the offender, and a determination on public notification will be made at that time.
This is the best information I can give you in a concise format at this time. Our Office will certainly stay engaged on this issue. Below are two links that may provide more information for you.
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/sandridge/index.htm
http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/980/08
Please know that when a serious sex offender is released and establishes a residence in the Townships, I am willing to commit an appropriate level of resources to keep residents as safe as possible.
Sincerely
Dale K. Schmidt, Sheriff
Washington County
