Jessica Kroening (Photo courtesy Washington County Jail)
WARNING: This story contains details and photos that some readers may find disturbing.
WEST BEND, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Jessica Kroening was sentenced Friday to one month in jail and fined $1,000 for her role in the poaching of more than 100 deer in Fond du Lac, Washington and Dodge counties.
Kroening, 37, previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of illegally shining deer and to intentionally contributing to the delinquency of a child. A count of resisting a conservation warden was dismissed, court records show.
Besides the jail time and fine, her DNR privileges were suspended for three years by Washington County Judge Sandra Giernoth.
Three minors, including her son, were prosecuted in juvenile court for their roles in the case.
District Attorney Barry Braatz asked for one year in jail, calling it the “most egregious” hunting violation case he has seen. Given that her son was one the offenders prosecuted in juvenile court, she must be held accountable for her actions directly related to the death of one deer, and inaction for stopping the activity related to the other deer.
“This flies in the face of the tradition of the past time of hunting here in the state of Wisconsin,” Braatz said.
Defense attorney David Nelson argued it’s unfair that, as the only adult in case, that Kroening has become the face associated with the deaths of more than 100 deer. The facts show she was only partially involved in one death, so that’s what she should be sentenced for. He argued a fine would be appropriate.
“This is a case which has been blown out of proportion by the media, and by the passion that the state of Wisconsin has for the industry. But when we actually look at what her involvement actually was, it is not a jail case,” Nelson said.
Before the sentence was issued Kroening declined the option to address the court.
Judge Giernoth rejected the defense’s attempts to minimize her role, noting that from the very start she tried to protect her son from investigators. It’s an “incredible” tale to believe she wasn’t aware what was going on. What is credible is that this one event where she shined a deer was “just another day” in a series of events.
“As I’ve indicated, the facts demonstrate that you clearly had knowledge of this on-going course of conduct. And, that you permitted it. And that you had a responsibility to do otherwise. That’s what parenting is, ma’am. He may have been 17, but he’s your 17-year-old. The firearms were in your household. And, the witnesses indicate the firearms were of your family’s. It was your vehicle being taken. That vehicle was searched and found to contain knives that blood on them, floormats that had blood on them, a flashlight that blood on it. A saw in the car. Ma’am, it had to be obvious what was going on for that period of time and you simply chose not to intervene,” the judge said.
The judge also called it “offensive” that Kroening does not seem to understand the case as being meaningful to the justice system, or hunters across the states.
According to the complaint police were called to Campbellsport home in July for a report of foul odor coming from a garbage bag behind the residence. Inside, four deer heads were found. Kroening denied any knowledge of them.
The owner of the property, who had been in a relationship with Kroening, told police a juvenile who lived there had been killing deer for more than a year, with help from another juvenile. Police talked to the second juvenile, who admitted what was happening.
“Juvenile 2 stated that he and Juvenile 1 have been going around and shooting deer at night with a spotlight and a rifle for approximately one year. Juvenile 2 stated that they always used the defendant’s vehicle to go out shooting deer. He stated that they use firearms owned by Juvenile 1’s family. Juvenile 2 also stated that the defendant is aware of them shooting deer and has been on the phone with them while they are out doing it. He also stated that the defendant and others have accompanied them to shoot deer,” the complaint states.
Police talked to a third juvenile, who also admitted to participating in the shoots on three days in July, from midnight to 4 a.m.
“Juvenile 3 stated that they shot three whitetail bucks on July 13, 2024. He stated that Juveniles 1 and 2 cut the heads off of the deer while he waited in the car,” the complaint states.
He identified the deer heads found at the Campbellsport home as the ones shot in an area west of Kewaskum.
Police then talked to the first juvenile, who also admitted to his role.
Juvenile 1 stated that he and Juvenile 2 had been going out with a spotlight shooting deer for months, and he estimated they had gone out fifty times. He stated he drives the defendant’s Chevy Malibu when they shoot deer at night. Juvenile 1 stated that he saved the heads from the most recent seven deer to boil them and make European mounts with them,” the complaint states.
Kroening then admitted her participation.
“She stated that she was in the rear driver’s seat while the juvenile was in the driver’s seat. The defendant stated that Juvenile 1 held the firearm between his leg and the center console by the driver’s seat. She stated that from the backseat, she held the spotlight while Juvenile 1 shot out of the front driver’s seat. The defendant stated that after the deer was killed, Juvenile 1 drove her home and picked up Juvenile 2 to go retrieve the deer. She stated that the two boys waited about three hours to retrieve the deer so they would not get caught,” the complaint states.
Police searched Kroening’s vehicle, recovering “a bloody steak knife, a bloody wooden saw, a bloody Milwaukee brand spotlight, three bloody floormats, a .22 caliber bullet, and two bloody pocket knives. Said officer further reports that the defendant eventually turned over two firearms that the Juveniles had used – a .22 caliber rifle and a 7 mm rifle. Both rifles had the serial numbers scratched off, and said officer reports it appeared they were scratched off recently due to the bright shiny metal where the serial numbers had been located and metal shavings on the stocks.”
After police obtained a search warrant for the phone of one of the juveniles, they made arrangements to meet Kroening to get it. She then made these statements to police: “You’re not getting his phone; that’s not happening.” “The phone is long gone.” “If you want it, go dig it out of the river.” “I smashed the phone.” “The minute [Juvenile 2] warned us that you guys had warrants for phones his phone was gone.” “I threw it in the river. I’m not lying.”
“Said officer reports that Warden Metzger asked the defendant why she would throw it in the river. The defendant responded, ‘Because nobody needs his phone.'” the complaint states.
State law prohibits those accused in juvenile court from being identified publicly. However, in court Friday, the attorneys and judge identified one of them as Kroening’s son, although not by name.
Comments