Carl James Breneman appears in Outagamie County court, March 11, 2025. (Image courtesy of Outagamie County court/Zoom)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Carl Breneman was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for his role in stealing hundreds of pieces of mail from homes and businesses.
Breneman, 41, previously pleaded no contest to five counts of misappropriating identification information to obtain money.
He was also placed on extended supervision for three years by Judge Mark Schroeder.
Breneman’s co-defendant in the case, Danika Viasana, was sentenced to more than six years in prison for her role in the scheme. She was portrayed as the leader of the scheme by both the prosecutor and defense.
Before the sentence was issued, Breneman apologized. He also noted that Viasana was involved in the fraud before he met her, and he didn’t know how all of the scheme worked. Since his release from prison on other cases, Breneman has built a stable life.
“I hope I can continue living this life instead of being incarcerated and having to go and restart all over again,” Breneman said.
Prosecutors asked for three years in prison, while Breneman’s attorney contended probation was appropriate.
Viasana and Breneman were arrested during a traffic stop in Buchanan. Deputies say in the vehicle Viasana was driving, they found hundreds of pieces of mail — including two passports, dozens of tax-related documents, packages and personal checks — along with meth and drug paraphernalia.
Deputies then searched a hotel room in Kimberly where the two were living and found more stolen mail.
According to the criminal complaint, several police agencies across the Fox Valley investigated thefts of mail, forgeries and bank frauds from fall 2021 into spring 2022. Investigators found about 500 pieces of mail from more than 200 homes and businesses.
Viasana and Breneman took the checks and then cashed them, or used the information to open new bank accounts or apply for credit cards. The complaint identifies 15 victims as examples of the allegations against Breneman.
Breneman also open cases in Fond du Lac, Waupaca, and Winnebago counties on drug counts.
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