Plea agreement reached in human trafficking case

A 58-year-old Rhinelander man who was scheduled to stand trial this week on six counts of human trafficking formalized a plea agreement Friday morning resolving the case.

John Leo Hildebrand entered no contest pleas after assistant district attorney Mary Sowinski made a motion to amend the six human trafficking charges to three counts of third-degree sexual assault, two counts of attempted third-degree sexual assault and one count of delivery of methamphetamine. 

In entering a no-contest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but concedes the state has sufficient evidence to prove the elements of the charges.

Defense attorney Brent DeBord indicated that he believes the state’s human trafficking statute is “poorly written” and overbroad. 

As a result, his client chose to enter pleas to charges that he doesn’t necessarily believe fit the fact scenario, the lawyer explained.

The state expects to argue for 20 years confinement in prison to be followed by extended supervision, Sowinski stated.

Hildebrand was charged with the six felonies on Aug. 16. Progress in litigating the case was initially delayed due to difficulties in finding a public defender attorney to represent Hildebrand as well as a request for substitution of judge that moved the case from the docket of Oneida County circuit judge Mike Bloom to Forest County circuit judge Leon Stenz.

A trial was scheduled for March 6-8 but the parties were in court Friday morning to announce a resolution.

Hildebrand was bound over for further proceedings following a preliminary hearing that featured testimony from two law investigators.

A task force investigator testified that the investigation began after an individual who was in custody of the probation and parole department asked to speak with law enforcement regarding human trafficking. The individual reported that Hildebrand had offered various quantities of methamphetamine in exchange for sexual acts. 

The investigator also detailed investigatory interviews with three other alleged victims, all of whom reported similar experiences with Hildebrand with respect to location and requests for sex in exchange for meth.

The second witness recounted interviews with the other two alleged victims as well as Hildebrand’s arrests for possession of methamphetamine and felony bail jumping. As the investigation broadened, individuals being interviewed shared the names of other individuals law enforcement should contact, the officer explained.

According to the complaint, one of the alleged victims told investigators they did not want to participate in sex acts with Hildebrand but they “cared more about meth than food or water.” 

The same individual also told police they felt as they as though they were selling their “soul” for meth.

Hildebrand has been in custody since the charges were filed in August. Before the judicial substitution, Bloom denied a request for a bond reduction.

“The facts of this case are unique in many ways,” Bloom said. “The allegations are of conduct that is predatory, depraved, that constitute exploitation of the destructive effects of methamphetamine and provide a very potent illustration of the dehumanizing effect of addictive drugs such as methamphetamine or opiate drugs or what have you.”

After accepting the pleas, Stenz revoked bond and remanded Hildebrand into custody.

A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date as the defense requested time to prepare a pre-sentence investigation report.

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].