July 11, 2016 at 4:48 p.m.
Rhinelander man charged with child sexual assault waives prelims
Steven Morris also facing escape from officer charge
Rhinelander man charged with child sexual assault waives prelims
Steven J. Morris was charged last June with resisting or obstructing an officer, escaping criminal arrest, first-degree child sexual assault (intercourse with a person under 12) and exposing genitals. The last two charges included the repeater enhancer.
The first case was brought after Morris fled from Rhinelander police officers trying to take him into custody for questioning on the offenses charged in the second case, which are alleged to have occurred between Sept. 1 and Dec. 31, 2014.
According to the criminal complaint, a member of the Rhinelander Police Department observed Morris on foot at the intersection of Courtney and Rives streets on June 4, 2015. The officer knew Morris was wanted for questioning in regard to an investigation alleging he sexually assaulted a then 11-year-old child.
When the officer asked Morris to turn around and place his hands behind his back, he ran from the officer. Another officer who chased him on foot observed Morris climb over a six-foot fence topped with three strands of barbed wire and escape into the woods north of Courtney Street.
Despite an intense search effort by Rhinelander officers and sheriff's deputies, Morris eluded capture. Charges of resisting or obstructing an officer and escaping criminal arrest were filed in Oneida County Circuit Court on June 15 and an arrest warrant was authorized by Branch II Judge Michael Bloom.
The second case was filed June 23, 2015. An arrest warrant on the sexual assault charge was signed by Branch I Judge Patrick O'Melia that same day.
See Morris, Page 16
Morris
Continued from Page 3
On Aug. 6, 2015, a Lincoln County sheriff's deputy tried to apprehend Morris on the outstanding Oneida County warrants as well as one out of Lincoln County, but Morris fled through a field to escape. Another deputy tried to head Morris off and got into a physical altercation with the suspect. The report from the sheriff's department said that Morris escaped from the second deputy after briefly fighting with him, then taking his pepper spray away from him and spraying the deputy in the eyes. He then fled into a wooded area near County Road A in Tomahawk.
Following an intense ground and aerial search that lasted hours, Morris was arrested inside a seasonal cabin.
Morris was charged with battery to a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer causing substantial bodily harm, disarming a peace officer, intent to use an oleoresin device on an officer and criminal trespass to a dwelling. All but the last charge were class H felonies punishable by up to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. All five charges also carried the repeater enhancer, which could have added up to two years prison time to each charge.
On Dec. 22, 2015 Morris accepted a plea agreement resolving the Lincoln County charges. He pled no contest to the felony charges. The misdemeanor was dismissed but read into the record for sentencing purposes.
Lincoln County Judge Jay Tlusty sentenced Morris to four years in prison followed by two years extended supervision on each count, to be served concurrently. He was also ordered to pay all court costs and surcharges and granted 107 days credit for time served in the Lincoln County Jail while the case was pending.
On Wednesday, Morris appeared before O'Melia on the Oneida County charges. The hearing was listed on the docket as an initial appearance and preliminary hearing on both cases.
Morris was in the courtroom with his attorney Troy Nielsen. Assistant district attorney Mary Sowinski appeared for the state.
After Morris waived his right to a preliminary hearing, Sowinski filed formal charging documents that mirrored the allegations in the original criminal complaints. Nielsen entered not guilty pleas on his client's behalf.
Both Sowinski and Nielsen told O'Melia that a resolution to both cases is in the works.
Because of a tight court docket, O'Melia said there wasn't time to accept Morris' pleas and set the matter for a pre-trial conference for the afternoon of Aug. 23.
The sexual assault charge is a class B felony. It carries a maximum sentence of 60 years, of which at least 25 years must be served in prison.
Jamie Taylor may be reached at jtaylor @lakelandtimes.com.
Comments:
You must login to comment.