Court Sentences Couple Charged With Theft of Farm Equipment

BURNETT COUNTY — A Grantsburg, WI couple has been sentenced on their criminal theft charges in Burnett County Circuit Court.

Charges were filed against Donald & Kathryn Bonneville of Grantsburg, WI, after Burnett County Law Enforcement investigated a report that several thousand dollars worth of farm equipment had been stolen. In July 2017, the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department took a statement from a woman who said that her ex-boyfriend’s parents had removed several thousand dollars worth of farming equipment from her farm, without her permission.

After law enforcement executed a search warrant, nearly all of the missing farm equipment was accounted for, according to a criminal complaint filed in Burnett County Circuit Court. When investigating officers spoke to Donald, he stated that he had been using the remaining pieces of equipment at a friends farm. Those items were retrieved by officers.

Criminal charges of Class G Felony Theft of Movable Property Valued at More Than $10,000 were filed against both Donald and Kathryn. An additional charge of Misdemeanor Obstructing an Officer, was filed against Kathryn, for giving false information to an officer.

According to online circuit court records, on December 4, 2018, both Donald & Kathryn appeared for plea/sentencing hearings in Burnett County Circuit Court regarding their criminal charges.

As part of a plea agreement, the Court accepted pleas No Contest from both Kathryn & Donald to reduced charges of Misdemeanor Theft. In addition they both plead to a charge of Misdemeanor Obstructing an Officer. A penalty enhancer of Party to a Crime was added to all the charges.

The Court ordered a withheld sentence for both Donald & Kathryn, with 18 months of probation. In addition, the Court ordered them both to pay over $400 in costs.

**Original Post**

Grantsburg Couple Charged With Felony Theft of Farm Equipment in Burnett County

BURNETT COUNTY — A husband and wife from Grantsburg, WI are charged with Felony Theft in Burnett County Circuit Court after an investigation by Burnett County Law Enforcement revealed that the couple had allegedly stolen several thousand dollars worth of farming equipment from the ex-girlfriend of their son.

According to a criminal complaint filed in Burnett County Circuit Court, in July 2017, the Burnett County Sheriff’s Department took a statement from a woman who said that the parents of her ex-boyfriend had removed several thousand dollars worth of farming equipment from her farm, without her permission. She went on to say that she had photographs showing the equipment which was now located at the property of Donald & Kathryn Bonneville.

Online circuit court records show that criminal complaints were filed in Burnett County Circuit Court against both Donald & Kathryn Bonneville on August 4, 2017, charging them each with Class G Felony Theft of Movable Property Valued at More Than $10,000. Kathryn is also charged with Misdemeanor Obstructing an Officer, for giving false information to an officer.

If convicted of the charges of Felony Theft, Donald and Kathryn could face a maximum sentence of imprisonment for not more than 10 years, a maximum fine of $25,000, or both.

In June, 2017, the victim was out of town for a day, and according to her statement, when she returned, several pieces of farming equipment were missing.

Investigating officers obtained a search warrant for the Bonneville’s property and went to execute the search warrant. Officers spoke with both Donald & Kathryn regarding the missing farming equipment. Kathryn allegedly denied any knowledge about any equipment having been removed from the victim’s property or being brought to the Bonneville’s property.

When officers spoke with Donald, he allegedly stated that he and Kathryn did go to the victim’s property and take numerous items of equipment, including 2 hay wagons, skid steer, tractor attachments, and a brush cutter. Donald went on to tell officers that those items belonged to him and that the victim would not give them back, according to the criminal complaint.

After the execution of the search warrant, all of the pieces of equipment were accounted for except for a digger/cultivator and a disc (implements to be pulled behind a tractor).

The criminal complaint goes on to state that when investigating officers specifically asked Donald about those items, he stated that he had put them at a friend’s farm and had been using them there. Investigators went to that farm and located the items. When questioned, that individual stated that he did not know anything about those items having been removed from the victim’s farm without her permission.

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.