MADISON, WI (Submitted to OnFocus) — Gov. Tony Evers announced that he has granted another 54 pardons. As previously announced, the governor has granted more pardons during his first three years in office than any other governor in contemporary history. To date, Gov. Evers has granted 391 pardons.
“Since the beginning of my administration, we’ve remained committed to granting pardons to eligible individuals, and we intend to continue this momentum into this new year because we know that people are so much more than the sum of their past mistakes,” said Gov. Evers. “These pardon recipients have the support of many local officials, neighbors, and community members and have earned a second chance.”
The Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board heard from applicants virtually on Dec. 10, 2021, and applications that were selected for expedited review or recommended by the Board were forwarded to Gov. Evers for final consideration.
Gov. Evers granted pardons to the following people:
- Jennifer Lemberger was 21 years old when she wrote bad checks and drove a friend to rob a pizza parlor. Lemberger is now an active member of her local church and takes care of her grandson in Stevens Point.
- Carter Evans III was 18 years old when he and some friends burglarized a home and robbed an individual. Evans has helped others avoid the mistakes he once made, and he has the support of community leaders and the district attorney’s office. He now resides in Racine with his family.
- Jill Wagner was 27 years old when she committed retail theft. Now a successful business owner, she runs marathons and resides in Shawano with her family.
- Neil Verbanac was 24 years old when he stole materials from job sites he worked on over three decades ago. He is now a truck driver and has raised his children in Random Lake, where he resides.
- Kelly Sears was 20 years old when he drove drunk and crashed a vehicle, injuring his two friends who were passengers. In the 33 years since this conviction, he has earned the support of the victims and now resides in Blue Mounds with his family.
- Harlan Hurt was 16 years old when he sold marijuana to an undercover officer. He now works with the iron workers union and keeps bees in West Bend, where he resides with his family.
- Michelle Roberson was 20 years old when she used customers’ credit cards at K-Mart to purchase goods. Roberson has worked as a preschool teacher and now resides in Milwaukee with her children.
- James Larson was 18 years old when he stole a truck from a dealership almost three decades ago. Larson has provided for his family through steady employment and now resides in Red Lake Falls, Minnesota.
- Jason Janiszewski was 27 years old when he tried to purchase a controlled substance on the internet. He now works in security in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Aaron Bushar was 19 years old when he drove friends to break into a beer distributor to steal beer. He hosts a music history podcast and works in Old Hickory, Tennessee, where he resides with his family.
- Alysia Mullins was 30 years old when she stole credit cards and used them to buy groceries and axles for her car. Mullins resides in Milwaukee, where she owns a business and volunteers in her local community by helping those struggling with addiction.
- Tasha Williams was 21 years old when she wrote fraudulent checks to buy essentials for her children. She is now a licensed certified nursing assistant (CNA) and resides in Milwaukee with her family.
- Steven Johnson was 19 years old when he and some friends burglarized a tattoo parlor. He volunteers with his church and resides in Pardeeville with his family.
- Cynthia Branton was 30 years old when she forged customers’ names on withdrawal slips and took money from the bank where she worked. She now resides in Glendale, Arizona, with her husband, to whom she recently donated a kidney.
- Craig Jorgensen was 19 years old when he and some friends burglarized and vandalized a home. He has maintained steady employment and has volunteered in the Chilton community, where he resides with his family.
- Kenneth Simmons was 18 years old when he drove his friend’s car without their consent. A couple years later, he was also caught selling marijuana to an undercover officer. These offenses occurred over four decades ago. Simmons now resides in Waukesha with his family.
- Brook Haasl was 22 when she sold prescription medication to undercover officers. She received support for her pardon from the district attorney’s office, and she now resides in Stevens Point with her children.
- Joseph Waid was 18 years old when he sold a controlled substance to an undercover officer. Waid now resides in Lawrenceville, Georgia, with his family and is an active member of his local church.
- Alison Youngs was 21 years old when she was found with a controlled substance in her car. She now owns a successful salon and is a leader in her business community. She resides in Hagar City with her wife.
- Amy Knox was in her thirties when she used and sold marijuana. She is now involved in her local community and resides in Milwaukee.
- David Parker was 23 years old when he sold marijuana to an undercover officer 37 years ago. Parker now works as janitorial staff at a local school. Previously, he owned and operated an auto repair shop for many years while raising his family in Prairie du Chien.
- Thomas Elsen was 23 years old when he purchased a placebo controlled substance from a confidential informant. He now volunteers with a local nonprofit and the court has no objection to a pardon. He resides in Franklin with his family.
- Julie Feilbach was in her thirties and struggling with addiction when officers found her in possession of a controlled substance. The Washington County District Attorney’s Office supports a pardon, and Feilbach now works to help others in drug recovery. She resides in Omro.
- William Rauscher was 32 years old when he and a friend sold a controlled substance to a confidential informant nearly three decades ago. He now resides in Marenisco, Michigan, where he cares for his elderly parents.
- Thomas Gilbert was 20 years old when he sold a controlled substance to an undercover officer over four decades ago. Since retirement, he has enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren in Greenfield, where he resides.
- Kaleb DeVries was 21 years old and a student at UW-Whitewater when he sold marijuana. He is now dedicated to his family and community in Ixonia, where he resides and regularly volunteers.
- Brian Wulf was in his thirties when he helped his friend unload marijuana that had been transported into Wisconsin. The court supports a pardon, and Wulf has maintained employment and volunteered in his community. He now resides in Rhinelander.
- James Richards was 20 years old when he sold controlled substances to an undercover officer nearly 50 years ago. Richards is an ordained minister and, in his retirement, spends time with his grandchildren and volunteers with recovery-focused organizations. He resides in Milwaukee and the district attorney’s office supports a pardon.
- Benjamin Friberg was 25 years old when he and his friends grew and sold marijuana in their apartment. He now resides in Portland, Oregon, with his family and works painting and restoring old houses.
- Ebony Hyter was 25 years old when she sold a controlled substance to support her family. She has since pursued higher education and is currently working on her master’s degree, focused on racial and health justice. She now resides in La Crosse and has the support of both the court and the district attorney’s office.
- Christopher Sanders was 23 years old when he was found in possession of marijuana. He now works as an IT engineer and resides in Milwaukee with his family.
- Rhantwane Mayers was 17 years old when he sold marijuana to an undercover officer. He now owns and operates his own trucking business and volunteers in his community. He resides in Germantown with his family.
- Joseph Turcotte was 17 years old when he sold marijuana to a confidential informant. He is now a proud father and “dance dad” and has maintained steady employment. He resides in West Bend with his family.
- Mary Masters was 41 years old when she sold a controlled substance to make ends meet three decades ago. She dedicated her career to a local nonprofit that provides emergency services to those in need and, since retirement, has remained actively involved with several charitable organizations. Both the court and district attorney’s office support a pardon. She resides in Sparta.
- David Lutz was 30 years old when he sold a controlled substance to an undercover officer over three decades ago. He has maintained steady employment and is an avid angler in Wisconsin Rapids, where he resides.
- Migdalia Rivera was 32 years old when she lived with someone who was selling controlled substances. She is now involved in her local church and has raised her children in Milwaukee, where she resides.
- Richard Bouril was 17 years old when he sold marijuana to a confidential informant 38 years ago. He owned and operated a local café, through which he was deeply involved in the Manitowoc community, where he resides.
- Jerome Fechter was 19 years old when he sold a controlled substance to an undercover officer over three decades ago. He has maintained steady employment as a welder and now resides in West Bend with his family.
- Angela Harper was 19 years old and struggling to make ends meet as a young mother when she failed to report her income to social services, resulting in an overpayment of public assistance and food stamps. She has since raised her children, earned a bachelor’s degree, and volunteered at community events. She resides in Milwaukee.
- Tammy Lease was 19 years old when she sold marijuana to an undercover officer three decades ago. She has raised her children and now works for the Wausau School District. She resides in Merrill with her family.
- Jennifer Bisterfeldt was 16 years old when she sold a controlled substance to some friends. She has dedicated her career to helping those in need, becoming the executive director of a local homeless shelter and volunteering with numerous charitable organizations. She resides in Shawano with her family.
- Robert Erickson was 32 years old when he sold controlled substances to an undercover officer. He now works as a foreman and runs a wedding photography company with his wife in West Bend, where they reside. The district attorney’s office supports a pardon.
- Jesse Smith was 29 years old when he was with a group of people purchasing controlled substances outside of a concert. He has since earned his master’s degree and is pursuing a career in maritime. The district attorney’s office supports a pardon, and he now resides in Kiln, Mississippi.
- Terri Martin was 22 years old when she sold marijuana to an undercover officer. She earned her associate degree with honors and now resides in West Bend with her family.
- Jeannetta Edwards was 18 years old when she was a new mother and failed to report her income resulting in an overpayment of public assistance 44 years ago. She is now a licensed CNA and ordained minister. She resides in Milwaukee.
- Prentice Davis was 19 years old when he was caught in possession of marijuana. He has earned his associate degree and resides in Milwaukee.
- Joshua Schams was 18 years old when he sold marijuana to an undercover officer. He now owns and operates a supper club, through which he is active in his community. He resides in Sparta.
- Marvell Knight was 22 years old when he sold a controlled substance to help his family make mortgage payments. Before sentencing, he was also charged with felony bail jumping and misdemeanor carrying a concealed weapon. He is now an educator and coach at a Catholic school and has support from the court. He serves as a mentor to underprivileged youth in Milwaukee, where he also resides with his family.
- Craig Kroening was 19 years old when he and his roommate were caught growing marijuana. He is a Tribal Council Member for the Stockbridge-Munsee Community and has worked as a first responder and firefighter. He resides in Bowler with his family and plans to use a pardon to continue empowering his community.
- Deshawn Griffin was 21 years old when he sold a controlled substance to an undercover officer. He worked as a caregiver and volunteers in his community. He resides in Milwaukee with his family.
- Mark Blaser was 22 years old when he sold marijuana to an undercover officer 40 years ago. He has maintained steady employment, and the court supports a pardon. He resides in Sobieski with his family.
- Juanita Beeman was in her twenties when she fraudulently received an overpayment of public assistance and food stamps over three decades ago. She has earned a master’s degree in theology and is now a minister. She resides in Milwaukee taking care of her family, and the court supports a pardon.
- Nicholas Deviley was 22 years old when he mailed himself marijuana from California. The court supports a pardon, and he now owns and operates several successful businesses with his wife in Sister Bay, where they reside.
- Arthur Hoffman was 23 years old when a friend mailed him hash and officers found marijuana in his residence. He has since earned his bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Chiropractic degree. He now owns and operates a chiropractic and acupuncture practice in Minnetonka, Minnesota, where he resides with his family. The court supports a pardon.
The Wisconsin Constitution grants the governor the power to pardon individuals convicted of a crime. A pardon is an official act of forgiveness that restores rights lost when someone is convicted of a felony, including the right to serve on a jury, hold public office, and hold certain professional licenses. A pardon does not expunge court records.
Under Executive Order #30, individuals convicted of a Wisconsin felony may apply for a pardon if they completed their sentence at least five years ago and have no pending criminal charges. Individuals currently required to register on the sex offender registry are ineligible for a pardon. Executive Order #130 established an expedited review process for applications that meet stricter criteria, including a greater length of time elapsed since sentence completion and nonviolent nature of the offenses.
The pardon application, instructions, and answers to frequently asked questions about the pardon process can be found on the Governor’s website at www.evers.wi.gov/pardons. The Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board will continue to meet virtually monthly and reconvene again on Jan. 14, 2022. That hearing will air on wiseye.org/live from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
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