WASHBURN COUNTY -- Richard Romportl, age 52, of Barronett, WI has been charged with two counts of Class C Felony 2nd Degree Sexual Assault and Class I Felony Exposing Genitals following an investigation by Washburn County law enforcement that began in December 2017.
The criminal complaint filed against Romportl states that in December 2017, Washburn County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a report of a sexual assault. Investigators contacted the alleged victim, age 16 at the time of the alleged assaults. In statements to Investigators, the alleged victim stated that Romportl sexually assaulted her at his residence or in his vehicle on multiple occasions over a period of three months in 2017.
Romportl was arrested, and online circuit court records show that he appeared for a bail bond hearing in December 2017 and was placed on a $500 cash bail bond.
In April 2018, a motion hearing was held at which Washburn County District Attorney Winton moved for the Court to order Romportl to submit a sample of DNA for testing by the Wisconsin State Crime Lab.
In July 2018, the Court granted the Motion to Compel DNA and issued an Order for Romportl to provide a DNA sample to law enforcement.
According to the criminal complaint filed against Romportl in April 2019, results came back from the Wisconsin Crime Lab which indicate that Romportl‘s DNA was found on the alleged victim’s breasts.
“According to the lab report findings, regarding the DNA mixture from the large paper towel, “It is at least 3 duodecillion times more likely to observe these profiles if they are mixtures of DNA from [Victim 1) and Richard Romportl than if they are mixtures of DNA from two random, unrelated individuals”.
Numerous details of the sexual assault allegations against Romportl are included in the criminal complaint, but are too graphic to include in this post.
Romportl denied any sexual interaction with the alleged victim, however, investigators obtained a search warrant for his residence and collected items such as paper towels from the trash at Romportl’s residence and submitted those for testing by the Wisconsin State Crime Lab.
If convicted of the charges filed against him, Romportl faces a maximum sentence of over 80 years confinement in State Prison.
Romportl is scheduled to have an Initial Appearance on his charges in April 2019.
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Apr 17, 2019 8:20 am CDT
