Former Pastor Sentenced to Life in Prison for Repeated Sexual Assault of a Child in Douglas County

TOWN OF SUMMIT, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Justice and Douglas County District Attorney (DA) Mark Fruehauf announced that Douglas County Circuit Court Judge Kelly J. Thimm sentenced Jeffrey Anthony Charles, age 65, to life in prison with no possibility of release for the repeated sexual assault of a child, for incidents that occurred from 2005 to 2010.

“This sentence sends an unmistakable message about the heinousness of this kind of criminal conduct,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to the investigators and prosecutors who worked to get justice in this case.”

“The victim is to be commended for the patience and bravery she demonstrated testifying about these crimes to a jury,” said District Attorney Mark Fruehauf. “This case would not have been possible without the hard work of law enforcement and the assistance of the Department of Justice, for which I am grateful.”

Charles served as the pastor for Neighbors to Nations church in Princeton, Minn. at the time of the assaults and parishioners often traveled to Charles’ cabin in the Town of Summit, Wis. Charles sexually assaulted a victim at his cabin in the Town of Summit, Wis. over the course of five years, starting when the victim was 3 years old and ending when they were 8 years old. Charles was previously convicted of Sexual Abuse, 3rd Degree, in the state of Iowa in 1997.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Victim services were provided by the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Douglas County DA Mark Fruehauf and assisted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The criminal complaint is available on request.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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