A federal judge has postponed a Suring man’s sentencing so he can testify against his co-defendants who face arson charges in state and federal courts.
Drew S. Christensen, 28, was to be sentenced Monday before District Judge William Griesbach. Christensen had pleaded guilty in May to setting fire to the Klondike Community Church, a resort bar in Mountain and a town of Bagley tavern. The fire at the tavern last July was allegedly at the request of Jessica A. Miller, 37, and Donald A. Halbur Jr., 32, both of Crivitz.
Miller owned the Jaded Bar for about a year and lived above the bar with Halbur. Christensen said Halbur asked him to burn the bar so he and Miller could collect the insurance money.
Christensen, who occasionally worked at the bar, called 9-1-1 to report the fire. Investigators later determined it and the other fires had been intentionally set.
Before they were charged with arson in federal court, Miller, Halbur and Christensen also were charged with arson in Marinette County Circuit Court. Christensen admitted to collaborating with Miller and Halbur to set fire to Miller’s town of Stephenson house so she could collect insurance proceeds and purchase a bar.
Miller collected $268,000 from the June 11, 2011, fire, according to the criminal complaint. Christensen is scheduled to plead guilty before Circuit Judge David Miron on Aug. 8 to setting this fire.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Roach said he expects Christensen to testify against Miller and Halbur at their trial before Miron, which is set for Aug. 20.
Last month Griesbach agreed to reschedule Miller’s and Halbur’s trial in federal court from Aug. 12 to Nov. 4 on Roach’s request, stating that a conviction in Marinette County could increase the chances they would plead guilty in federal court. Attorneys for Miller and Halbur did not oppose the request.
Christensen will testify about the couple’s alleged role in the tavern fire, if the case goes to trial in federal court, Roach said.
On Friday, Griesbach agreed to postpone Christensen’s sentencing in federal court until after his co-defendants’ Marinette County trial. No specific date was set for Christensen’s sentencing.
In his guilty plea in federal court, Christensen said he set fire to the Everbreeze Resort bar in the town of Mountain on Oct. 26, 2009, after breaking up with the resort owner’s daughter.
Christensen also admitted to setting fire to the 100-year-old Klondike church, near Coleman, on March 19, 2012, by entering an unlocked door and lighting curtains on fire. The fire caused extensive damage.
He also admitted to setting fire to a trailer home in August 2011 and a garage in January 2012 in the town of Bagley and is scheduled for a plea hear ing on these charges Aug. 12 in Oconto County.
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