Oconto County Circuit Court proceedings

Proceedings of Sept. 10

David R. Smith, 54, Oconto, pleaded no contest to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (fifth offense), operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (sixth offense) and felony bail jumping, in connection with incidents that occurred Jan. 4, 2019, and May 16 of this year. Judge Michael T. Judge scheduled sentencing for Nov. 12 and ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

William A. Riskus, 37, Oconto, pleaded no contest to charges of possession of methamphetamine in connection with an incident that occurred Feb. 7; as well as felony bail jumping and misdemeanor resisting or obstructing an officer, in connection with an incident that occurred July 12. A Jan. 28 charge of possession of narcotic drugs was dismissed but will be read into the record at sentencing, which Judge Michael T. Judge scheduled for Nov. 15. He also ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

William J. McGregor, 54, Green Bay, pleaded guilty to possession of narcotic drugs in connection with an incident that occurred April 4. Judge Jay N. Conley scheduled sentencing for Nov. 10 and ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

Kevin J. Verhagen, 46, Little Suamico, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and pleaded not guilty to four counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred June 25. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for Nov. 11.

A Jan. 19-20 jury trial was scheduled for Jessica L. Hartley, 38, Oconto, on two counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety through the use of a dangerous weapon, two misdemeanor counts of intentionally pointing a firearm at someone and one count of misdemeanor disorderly conduct, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred March 9. A final pre-trial hearing was scheduled for Dec. 17.

Shane Babe Sahm, 42, Altoona, waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over to circuit court on charges of possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred July 26, 2020. Arraignment was scheduled for Oct. 14.

Calla Ann Hook, 27, Peshtigo, waived her right to a preliminary hearing and pleaded not guilty to felony bail jumping, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred Dec. 25, 2020. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for Nov. 11 on both that charge and an earlier case alleging possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia from March 27, 2020.

Proceedings of Sept. 7

Christopher G. Halase, 30, Baraboo, pleaded no contest to homicide by negligent handling of a dangerous weapon, in connection with the death of his sister, Ashley Halase, 31, of Reedburg, on Aug. 21, 2020. In a plea agreement, a felony charge of second-degree reckless homicide and a misdemeanor count of discharging a firearm while under the influence of a controlled substance were dismissed but will be read into the record. Judge Michael T. Judge scheduled sentencing for Nov. 10 and ordered a pre-sentence investigation.

Judge Jay N. Conley considered several motions in advance of a four-day jury trial starting Sept. 21 for Victor J. Alberts, 54, who is charged with 24 felonies — including three counts of repeated sexual assault of the same child, nine counts of child abuse, five counts of causing mental harm to a child, and two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, among other related charges that allegedly occurred from 2005 to 2016, as well as two counts of felony child abuse and four counts of misdemeanor disorderly conduct, for incidents that allegedly occurred Dec. 1, 2019, and Jan. 17, 2020. Another pre-trial motion hearing was scheduled for Sept. 17.

Charges were dismissed without prejudice against Hunter Joseph Schaden, 20, Oconto Falls, who had been charged with first-degree child sex assault, causing a child under 13 to view/listen to a sex act, child enticement for sexual contact, and another felony, in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred Jan. 1, 2015. The state’s investigator did not appear for a scheduled preliminary hearing.

Christine Rivers, 53, Appleton, was placed on two years’ probation beginning with a year in county jail for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (fourth offense), in connection with an incident that occurred Nov. 16, 2019. Judge Michael T. Judge gave Rivers credit for 76 days already served and ruled that three months of the jail sentence may be stayed unless she violates conditions of her probation, which include maintaining absolute sobriety and completing all assessments, counseling and treatment deemed necessary by her agent. She is prohibited from entering any establishment where the main purpose is the sale of alcohol during the course of her probation.