Wednesday, September 16, 2026
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Thursday, June 11, 2026
Cops Gone Wild: Family says police used excessive force to arrest teen. Police disagree
Cathy KozlowiczSteven Martinez
Videos showing a Menomonee Falls teenager's arrest have raised concerns among the boy's family about excessive use of force while the village's police department defends the encounter as "reasonable" and "effective."
The videos – police body camera footage and a separate video recorded by the boy's sister – show officers around 9:30 a.m. May 21 interacting with the 13-year-old boy and some of his family members before taking the boy into custody and putting him in a squad car.
The boy's sister's video captures the arrest, which involved three officers restraining and ultimately handcuffing the boy as he tries to pull away from them. The video shows the boy repeatedly crying out for help from his grandfather and swearing at the officers while police hold him down.
In the boy's sister's video, a male voice can be heard shouting, "Don't put your hand on his throat," followed by a female voice saying, "His hand is on his throat."
William Sulton, the boy's attorney, said the arrest was targeted and excessive. Sulton plans to file a lawsuit against the department and wants the three officers fired.
Because it involves a minor, the Menomonee Falls Police Department declined to provide detailed information on the case, but released body cam footage of the encounter in response to the boy's sister's video, which the department said showed "only a portion of the arrest."
The department said in a news release that the officers remained calm during the arrest and continually requested the boy's cooperation. They only used the level of force necessary to take him into custody, police said.
"Consequently, it is our department's conclusion that the officers' actions in this incident were both reasonable and justified," the release said.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is not naming the boy because he is a minor.
Sulton said the arrest was wrong "all the way around," and cast doubt on whether it required multiple officers. He also said any police involvement in the matter was unnecessary since the incident that triggered the investigation was a "private joke among family."
Sulton said a school resource officer became involved after there was a dispute between the 13-year-old and his 11-year-old brother about a photo on one of their phones. Sulton described the incident as "just two brothers being weird."
The Menomonee Falls Police Department told the Journal Sentinel that the school resource officer was Ryan Young. The other two officers were Vincent Strom, a patrol officer, and Michael Schroeder, a K9 officer.
The boy has since been released from custody, Sulton said. He did not immediately have information on whether the boy was cited or charged in connection with the arrest.
The Menomonee Falls Police Department told the Journal Sentinel that they will not disclose information regarding possible charges because the arrest involved a juvenile.
Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com.
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
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Saturday, September 20, 2025
41-year-old man man pleads not guilty to enticing teenage girl
Milana Doné
RACINE — A Union Grove man pleaded not guilty Wednesday in connection to allegations of messaging a young girl online.
Steven Lachance, 41, faces one count of child enticement-sexual contact, one count of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and three counts of causing a child age 13-18 to view sexual activity.
According to a criminal complaint, the Mount Pleasant Police Department began investigating after receiving a report April 14 from BOOPAC’s Promise, a nonprofit dedicated to exposing child predators.
The report indicated that someone from the organization had posed as “Ashley,” a 14-year-old girl, and engaged in online messages with “Daniel,” who was identified as Lachance.
On April 14, MPPD took over the investigation, and an officer continued posing as “Ashley.”
According to the complaint, the chats reportedly made clear to Lachance that “Ashley” was 14. He allegedly said he was 41, asked if she was “open to dating an older guy,” and said he “would love to date her,” according to the complaint.
The officer posing as the child and Lachance arranged to meet at a fast-food restaurant in Mount Pleasant. On April 17, Lachance’s van arrived at the restaurant and he was arrested.
Lachance reportedly told MPPD that he had spoken to teen girls online for about a month and had exchanged photos.
During a competency hearing Aug. 19, Lachance was found competent to proceed.
He is scheduled to appear in court Oct. 27 for a status conference.
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Thursday, May 22, 2025
Monday, May 19, 2025
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
Cops Gone Wild: 30 officers accused of running youth ‘gladiator fights’
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Friday, October 18, 2024
Former MPS teacher's aide found guilty of child enticement and other felonies
Jefferson was found not guilty on two of 10 felony charges, including second degree sexual assault of a child.
A Milwaukee jury has found Randell Jefferson, a former teacher's aide at the Oliver Wendell Holmes School, guilty of seven felonies related to his contact with children.
Those convictions include three counts of soliciting a child for prostitution, two for child enticement with sexual contact, and two for exposing a child to harmful material, according to the jury's Wednesday verdict in Milwaukee County Circuit Court.
Jefferson, 35, was found not guilty of two more charges related to second-degree sexual assault of a child and child enticement with sexual contact. One more count, exposing a child to harmful material, was dismissed.school
The charges were connected to Jefferson's contact with children at the Harambee neighborhood elementary and middle school between between 2021 and 2023. He worked there since the since the 2018-19 school year, according to state data
Jefferson is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 21.
He could face up to 25 years and $100,000 for each enticement and solicitation charge. For the charges related to exposing a child to harmful material, he could face up to 3½ years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Lawyers for Jefferson did not respond to request for comment before publication.
Cleo Krejci covers education and workforce development as a Report For America corps member based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at CKrejci@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_CleoKrejci. For more information about Report for America, visit jsonline.com/rfa.
Saturday, September 28, 2024
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Saturday, December 18, 2021
Racine Police arrest 2 juveniles after threats at 3 different schools
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Racine Police Photo by: Racine PD |
RACINE — Two juveniles were arrested in Racine Friday after threats at three different Racine-area schools, police say.
According to a news release, officers responded to threats of violence at the three schools on Friday. Working with Racine Unified officials, they found that the threats were not credible.
Two juveniles were arrested in connection to the threats.
"The Racine Police Department is aware of the threats being circulated nationwide today on social media and are working with the Racine Unified School District to continue to provide a safe learning environment for the students," the department said in the release.
Several area school districts emailed parents on Thursday night about threats circulating on popular social media platform TikTok, though none of those threats have been found to be credible.
Hamilton School District in Waukesha County closed its schools on Friday due to "inappropriate posts" on social media, though they did not specify if the posts were on TikTok.
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