Bar Brawl leaves one man dead
 

They both have been released on $10,000 signature bonds pending an initial hearing.
Update - Feb. 10th - Sheriff Gene Cary reports - Taken into custody this weekend were David A. Heisz, age 26 of Railroad Street and his cousin, Mikeal E. Heisz, age 28 of School Street, both in Gays Mills.
  The investigation into the disturbance and subsequent death of Mr. Kuykendall continued through the weekend virtually non-stop by investigators. The suspects are being held in the Vernon County Jail on suspicion of second degree reckless homicide.
  Charges will be sought through Vernon County District Attorney Timothy Gaskell. The men are expected to appear in Vernon County Circuit Court for bail arrangements on Monday, Feb. 11, 2008.

Readstown, WI - February 7, 2008 - Vernon County Sheriff Gene Cary reports the death of Kelly R. Kuykendall, age 50 of Beloit Wisconsin, following an altercation with two Gays Mills men at the Pat’s Corner Bar, 501 North 4th Street in Readstown at approx. 1:45 a.m. on February 7, 2008.
  Kuykendall was left on the sidewalk unconscious as the suspects fled the scene initially. He was taken from the scene to Vernon Memorial Healthcare by Readstown EMS with head injuries, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
  Coroner Janet Reed has ordered an autopsy for later today in Madison. The Wisconsin Crime Laboratory Bureau will be assisting Sheriff Investigators at the autopsy.
  Upon being contacted by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department, both suspects later came to the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department to discuss the incident with officers and investigators.
  District Attorney Tim Gaskell will consider charges following the autopsy findings. Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Vernon County Sheriff’s Department at 608-637-2123. 

Cattle rustler turns out to be neighbor
 

Larry Stluka, of rural Wauzeka, WI, stands in front of his stolen cattle. Video interview with Larry Stluka

Crawford County, WI - On November 26, 2007 Larry Stluka reported the theft of 11 head of cattle from his rural Wauzeka farm.
  On February 21, 2008 after a lengthy investigation 9 of the cattle were returned and a neighbor of Stluka’s had confessed to keeping the animals.
  The animals were found after Stluka reported that he saw one of his stolen cows at a neighbor’s farm. Stluka called the Sheriff’s department and reported that while he was driving past the Dennis Krachey’s farm he was sure that he saw one of his stolen cows. Members of the Sheriff’s Department and the Stluka family went to the Krachey farm and with Kracheys help sorted out several cows that Stluka believed to be his. The stolen cows were in with a herd of approx. 60 other similar type cattle.
  Dennis Krachey, age 45, voluntarily came to the Sheriff’s Department and confessed to keeping the animals after they had wandered onto his farm. Krachey stated that when he saw the animals in with his he knew that they weren’t his but decided to keep the cows and he cut the ear tags off of the animals. Krachey stated that he knew they were Larry Stluka’s cattle after Stluka had talked to him but he had already cut the ear tags off and didn’t know what to do so he just kept the cattle.
  Larry Stluka had spoken to Dennis Krachey in November shortly after he noticed his cattle missing and Krachey denied knowing where the animals were. Early in the investigation Stluka told members of the Sheriff’s Department that he had looked at Krachey’s cattle in November thinking maybe they had gotten in with his herd but was unable to pick out any of his cattle at that time.
  It wasn’t until Stluka, who was driving by the Krachey farm on February 18th and saw one of his cows, one that Stluka described as the family pet, standing alone in the corral eating, that Krachey was ever considered a suspect.
  According to Larry Stluka he and Krachey have always gotten along and were, as he described it, good neighbors.
Update - Krachey is being referred to the Crawford County District Attorneys Office for a charge of Theft. Krachey stated to investigators that the lone animal that wasn’t returned had died and was disposed of. The investigation continues into whether all 10 animals that were returned to Stluka were the reported missing animals, DNA testing may be necessary.
        Video interview with Larry Stluka

Prison guard arrested for Sexual Assault
 

Prairie du Chien, WI - March 27, 2008 - A correctional officer, James L. Trentin, age 59 of Prairie du Chien, at the Correctional Facility has been charged with 22 counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault and 6 counts of Delivering Articles to Inmates.
  The charges stem from various incidences, from 2007 through 2008, where officer Trentin allegedly had sexual encounters with a number of inmates. These encounters typically involved Trentin allegedly offering to have oral sex with an inmates and as an inducement offering to bring in contraband such as tobacco, candy bars, toothpaste, deodorant and coffee.
  Mr. Trentin has been a correctional officer since 2000 and was placed on administrative leave February 1, 2008. His court appearance is schedule for April 7, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

Iowa meat packing plant raided by ICE
 

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents executed a criminal search warrant this morning at Agriprocessors, Inc., in Postville, Iowa, for evidence relating to aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, as well as a civil search warrant for people illegally in the United States. The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Matt M. Dummermuth and ICE Special Agent in Charge Claude Arnold.
  “This is not the first time this office has been a part of a criminal worksite enforcement operation,” said Dummermuth. “However, this is the largest operation of its type ever in Iowa. Agents and officers from federal, state, and local agencies are involved today. The coordination and logistical planning efforts have been going on for months.”
  “ICE is committed to enforcing the nation’s immigration laws in the workplace to maintain the integrity of the immigration system,” said Claude Arnold, Special Agent in Charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Bloomington, Minnesota. “We carry out that obligation in a fair and responsible manner, ensuring humanitarian needs are taken into consideration.
  Anyone encountered during this operation who is discovered to be in the United States illegally eventually will be placed into administrative removal proceedings. So far, ICE agents have arrested more than 300 individuals for administrative immigration violations.
  All of those taken into custody during today’s operation will be interviewed by ICE agents and Public Health Service officers to determine if they have health, caregiver, or other humanitarian concerns. As a result of those interviews, over 40 individuals have so far been released on humanitarian grounds under supervision, pending future immigration proceedings.
  ICE has established a toll-free number that family members can call to obtain information about the custody status and detention location of those detained today. That number is 866-341-3858.
  Contacts were made this morning to alert local schools, government officials and the Iowa Department of Human Services about the operation.
  The men apprehended today initially will be held in housing established for their detention at Estel Hall, in Waterloo, Iowa; women initially will be held at local county jails.
  The investigation is being led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Other agencies assisting today include the United States Marshals Service; United States Postal Inspections Service; Iowa Department of Public Safety; Iowa Department of Transportation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Federal Protective Service; Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations; United States Department of Labor; Public Health Service; United States Department of Agriculture; United States Environmental Protection Agency; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Drug Enforcement Administration; Waterloo Police Department; and the Postville Police Department.

The human side of the immigration problem
 

By Dave Collins -
Postville Iowa - May 13, 2008 - The after effects of the raid by the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the Agriprocessor’s plant yesterday, where 390 people were detained (see story below), will be felt for a long time. It stands out in a number of ways. Statistically, it was the largest single site enforcement of its kind ever in the U. S. Of the 390 people detained, 314 were men, 76 Women, 66 were released for humanitarian reasons (need to care for a family members as an example), and 12 were juveniles.
  From a point of origin perspective, 290 were Guatemalans, 93 Mexicans, 3 from Israel and 4 from the Ukraine. Not one person in management, as of this time, has been detained. It is curious that Iowa is made up of about 4% Hispanics while the border states (New Mexico, California, Texas and Arizona) have between 30 to 40% of the Hispanic population, and yet we were targeted for the largest crack down ever. Perhaps ICE wanted to have us northerners get a taste of this problem up close and personal.
  So much for statistics. What I saw in Postville were depressed and traumatized people, mostly gathered around St. Bridget Catholic Church where many families spent the night in the sanctuary, afraid to go home and needing to be together.
  To get a feel for their concerns, watch the video of the young people pictured above and Father Ouderkirk, the parish priest.
  ICE did nothing wrong, they are just enforcing our laws and were very open with the press. They have certainly come under a lot of criticism for not doing so, by the likes of CNN’s Lou Dobbs and others. But, Mr. Dobbs needs to tone down his ranting and come out on the street to visit with the broken families to get a taste of the human dimensions of this problem.
  Certainly we need to control our borders, but we also need to find a better solution to this problem. These are good people looking for a better life, just as our grandparents and great grandparents did.
  ICE has provided an 800 number for families who need information about their loved ones, who have been detained. It is 1-866-341-3858.    (Background on story)