A Birchwood, WI man who was convicted of Possession of Child Pornography in 2004 is now facing new charges for violation of the Sex Offender Registry requirements.
Ronald Powers, of Birchwood, WI, is charged in Sawyer County Circuit Court with Class H Felony Sex Offender Registry Violation. According to the criminal complaint filed against Powers, the Birchwood Police Department received information that Powers had created a Facebook profile under an assumed name: “Dean Riggs”.
The criminal complaint goes on to state that Powers allegedly admitted that he created the Facebook profile in October 2016.
Under Wisconsin Act 131, which went into effect in March 2010, registered sex offenders are mandated to provide to the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry every name or number of any electronic mail account the individual uses, every website they create or maintain, every Internet username they use, and the name or Internet address of every public or private Internet profile the individual creates, uses, or maintains. Powers was sent notice of this mandate in May 2011.
According to the criminal complaint, Powers did not provide information to the Registry regarding the Facebook profile that he created.
Online circuit court records show that Powers was convicted in October 2004 of Class I Felony Possession of Child Pornography. According to the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry website, Powers is required to register as a sex offender until October 2022.
The Sawyer County Sheriff’s Department Jail Roster indicates that Powers is in custody, pending revocation of probation. According to online circuit court records, Powers was sentenced to 3 years of probation, with 15 days in county jail, in Washburn County Circuit Court in July of 2015 for a conviction of Violation of Sex Offender Registry Requirements.
Powers appeared for a preliminary examination hearing in Sawyer County Circuit Court on February 21, 2018, regarding his new charges and the Court found probable cause to bind the charges against him over for trial. He is scheduled to appear again in March 2018.
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: Feb 22, 2018 10:10 am CST
