GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The suspect at the center of both a state and federal investigation in connection with used car dealerships in northeast Wisconsin has been arrested.
34-year-old John M. Solberg was arrested by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday on an extradition order from Michigan authorities.
According to the fugitive complaint, Solberg is accused of a felony charge of check-non-sufficient funds of $500 or more in Schoolcraft County, Michigan. A magistrate in the city of Manistique issued a warrant which, “recites on its face that the defendant, John Michael Solberg, is now a fugitive from justice in the State of Michigan.”
Solberg posted his $2,000 cash bond on Wednesday and was released from the Brown County Jail. He returns to Brown County court for an extradition hearing on November 21.
WTAQ spoke with a court official in Schoolcraft County who confirmed that a felony warrant is out for Solberg and that he has a notice to appear on Wednesday, November 9 at 9:30 a.m. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison or by a fine of not more than $500, or both.
Online court records show that special prosecutor Jacob Evans appeared on behalf of the state during Solberg’s initial appearance. The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s website says under “Special Prosecutions” that:
“At the request of district attorneys, unit members investigate and act as special prosecutors throughout Wisconsin in homicide, white-collar crime, public corruption, election fraud, multi-jurisdictional criminal cases, and other cases where the district attorney needs assistance or is unable to act.”
Solberg is currently a defendant in several civil lawsuits in Wisconsin, along with a Wisconsin Department of Transportation suit and the apparent target of a FBI investigation. This all stems from his connection to the shuttered used car dealerships Standard Pre-Owned in Suamico and Standard Pre-Owned #1 in Kaukauna.
One of those civil lawsuits appears headed for circuit court in Outagamie County, coming out of their last court appearance October 24.
Solberg has continually maintained his innocence in each of these cases, claiming he’s being framed by others involved with the dealerships.
