‘Insufficient evidence’ to charge Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes with crime
Chippewa County District attorney Wade Newell said the county’s investigation into Sheriff Travis Hakes has not yielded enough evidence to support criminal charges against the embattled sheriff.
In a letter to County Administrator Randy Scholz, Newell stated that his findings “should not be taken as a determination that there is no merit to having law enforcement investigate the issues raised in the investigative report.”
Chippewa County, which is still investigating Hakes, referred the investigation report to Newell on Sept. 20.
Newell
Newell stated that in the “District attorney’s Office we rely on our law enforcement partners to conduct the investigations. Only after a complete investigation, can the DA’s Office determine whether or not criminal charges are warranted.”
Newell’s office is still examining allegations of misconduct and dishonesty brought by the county’s investigator.
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Newell worked with another district attorney from a non-adjoining county to assess the files.
“We all came to the same conclusion that there was insufficient evidence, at this point, to make a determination that criminal charges are warranted,” he said.
Newell stated he included another prosecutor to “avoid allegations that it may be a conflict for me to make criminal determinations regarding my own sheriff.”
The name of the other district attorney was not released. The Chippewa Herald reached out to Scholz and Newell for further comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Newell said if anyone in the county believes the sheriff’s behavior “rises to the level of criminal misconduct in office or any other violation of the law, they should make a report/complaint directly to law enforcement. This way a full and fair investigation can be conducted regarding the matter.”
Newell said that his determination regarding criminal charges “should not be seen as a determination of the merits of any issues raised in the ‘investigative report’. I am just saying that I have insufficient evidence to make a direct report to law enforcement.”
The Chippewa County Board initiated its investigation into Hakes during a June meeting after a county employee alleged in May that Hakes sexually harassed her.
Chippewa County Administrator Randy Scholz is pictured at the Chippewa County board meeting in October.
Audrey Korte
The investigation into Hakes grew in scope as concerns about other unprofessional conduct came to light. According to an investigation report released in early October, the Chippewa County Board was concerned about Hakes’ honesty, leadership, competence, training compliance, absenteeism, handling of confidential information, conflicts of interest and impropriety on the job.
During the Oct. 10 county board meeting, Hakes released his own “counter-investigation” report, handing out copies to board members before giving a 10-minute statement to the public, during which he defended himself. Hakes’ counter-investigation was conducted by himself in an attempt to discredit claims made by the investigator for the county — a lawyer from von Briesen & Roper. Her 87-page investigation report was made publicly available Oct. 3.
Chippewa County Sheriff Travis Hakes poses for a photo at the Chippewa County Courthouse in January.
Audrey Korte
Hakes has claimed that the county’s investigatory process has been unfair, biased, incomplete and poorly handled.
Newell addressed some of the allegations against Hakes, stating the sheriff should not conduct any outside business while in uniform, or at the criminal justice complex, or with any department employees.
Newell also brought up Hakes’ credibility and accusations that he has been dishonest. Newell stated the issues raised regarding Sheriff Hakes’ credibility “are still under review, as I am still in the process of gathering additional information. I cannot make any determination until I have all the facts.”
Newell said he is also “currently looking into concerns raised, regarding Sheriff Hakes, during prior law enforcement employment, which may raise issues of credibility.”
Hakes earned an associates degree in criminal justice from Chippewa Valley Technical College and began working in law enforcement in 2006. He was a reserve officer in the Lake Hallie Police Department, then became Elk Mound Police Chief before joining the Chetek Police Department in 2017.
Hakes ran for 67th state Assembly seat in 2016, but lost the primary to Rob Summerfield.
Newell said misconduct in office is a serious allegation that requires attention because “it creates the potential for citizens to lose trust in their elected officials. The community expects that its elected officials conduct themselves in a professional manner, therefore all elected officials should avoid the appearance of impropriety.”
He said misconduct issues don’t always warrant criminal charges.
“Sometimes it is just a matter of educating the official, so that they can engage in otherwise lawful behavior in a way that does not create the appearance of impropriety,” Newell wrote.
Hakes was sworn in as sheriff in January. Hakes, a Republican, defeated Democratic candidate Chris Kowalczyk in the November election. Chris Kowalczyk’s brother, Jim Kowalczyk, did not seek re-election after serving as sheriff for 16 years.
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