July 16, 2019 – West Bend, WI – Neighbors by Sandy Knoll Park on Wallace Lake Road and Trenton Road in the Town of Trenton are receiving information today from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department regarding a registered sex offender moving into the area.
Washington Co. Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Hennes is visiting neighbors with an information sheet about Kenneth E. Crass who will be released from prison July 23, 2019.
Crass was convicted in 2014 of five counts of possession of child pornography. The Sheriff’s notice said Crass will reside at 7150 N. Trenton Road.
Neighbor Tim Wollak has lived by Sandy Knoll Park for nearly four years. He said he understands the “rehabilitation” process but questions the choice of location.
“It’s completely unacceptable,” said Wollak. “This playground abuts the property of a convicted sex offender. I am not sure how it was even remotely considered a good location by those involved.”
A release will be posted Wednesday, July 17 from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department. In it Sheriff Martin Schulteis states, “Kenneth E. Crass will have numerous rules and restrictions to follow including wearing a live tracking GPS unit. The GPS monitoring unit will have exclusion zones set up alerting WI-DOC if there is a violation of the exclusion zone rules. One exclusion zone will be Sandy Knoll Co. Park.”
Wollak believes there are holes in the monitoring process. “What if a child wanders on to his property or if the technology stops working,” he said. “The GPS unit does not prevent a crime from occurring, it simply alerts the agent he left his property. Furthermore, it appears he will be able to view the children’s play area from his property which is very concerning as he was convicted of five counts of possessing child pornography.”
The release from Schulteis also states Crass’s “criminal history places him in a classification level which reflects a low potential to re-offend.”
The release given to neighbors by Sgt. Michael Hennes also said, “This sex offender has served the prison sentence imposed on him by the courts. He is NOT wanted by law enforcement at this time. This notification is not intended to increase fear, but rather it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.”
Hennes said there is one Public Relations D.A.R.E. officer, Deputy William Niehus, who visits registered sex offenders in Washington County twice a year.
According to Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry there are 195 registered sex offenders living in Washington County.
Crass is scheduled to be released from prison Tuesday, July 23, 2019. He will be on probation until July 29, 2024.
Calls have been placed to the Wisconsin Department of Correction. As of 3:33 p.m. the DOC indicated it is working on a statement.
A note of clarification: In 2014 Crass pleaded guilty to five counts of possession of child pornography, however a check of Wisconsin Circuit Court Access shows there were five additional Felony D charges of possession of child pornography. According to CCAP those charges were dismissed but read in.
Crass appeared before Washington County Judge James Muehlbauer.
This was Mr. Crass’s residence at the time of his conviction. He’s not so much being relocated to this residence, but he’s actually coming back to his home.
So the authorities are taking him back to the scene of the crime.
I hope they put up signage at the park so parents know a registered offender is right near by and they should keep a close eye on their children.
When convicted of a felony crime such as this, one may be required to give up certain things; such as a home which, in this case, is too close to children. Mr. Crass should be required to move to a location away from children. HE’S guilty of the crime, not the neighbors nor the children wanting to play in the park.
It was bad enough (not knowing ) this man was among us and the park! Now we know half of the things he has done,and we are to let him right back?
Doesn’t sound quite right to me. In pedophile crimes, I can’t even imagine a “Low” level to recommit?
Even if he supposedly payed his dues, he does not deserve to live in his residence that close to children!
Since when do sexual predators have a low probability of reoffending? This is outrageous. This offender is perverted and should not be released nextdoor to a park. GPS tracking or not. Seems to me that he started with this “hobby” because he was bored after he retired. What is to prevent him from becoming bored again?
Since pretty much every credible (government) study supports a low recidivism rate amongst those previously convicted of a sex offense. Other than that, absolutely nothing is going to prevent him from re-offending. Not the sex offender registry, and certainly not the fact that he lives within a certain distance / a 5 minute stroll from a public area that had absolutely nothing to do with his offense in the first place.