Ex-Milwaukee public defender Travis Schwantes will get 45 days in jail for prostitution case

A former Milwaukee public defender accused of paying shoppers for intercourse obtained 45 days in jail and two years of probation for his crimes.

At an Aug. 26 listening to, Travis Schwantes, 54, was sentenced for one felony for falsifying an earnings type and two prostitution-related misdemeanors.

Schwantes was additionally given a $4,000 nice and 100 hours of required group service. The nice may very well be diminished to $2,000 if he completes a further 250 hours of group service.

Decide Jeffrey Kremers, a retired decide appointed to listen to the case, mentioned his determination was due, partly, to the reputational harm Schwantes had prompted the general public defender’s workplace.

“I’ve to suppose there might be folks in the neighborhood who’re going to surprise about different public defenders,” Kremers mentioned. “‘Are they benefiting from their shoppers like Mr. Schwantes did?'”

Schwantes pleaded responsible to the costs July 9. Prosecutors dropped two felony counts of misconduct in workplace as a part of the plea settlement.

A number of girls advised authorities that Schwantes paid them for intercourse acts on a number of events, in response to courtroom information. One among them mentioned Schwantes knew she had open warrants and that he falsified info to characterize her as a public defender in these circumstances, a prison criticism says.

Assistant District Legal professional Nicolas Heitman spoke in favor of jail and probation on the sentencing listening to, telling the decide that Schwantes’ actions harmed the integrity of the whole prison justice system.

In an interview following the sentencing, Heitman mentioned Schwantes’ actions had been aggravated by his place as a public defender.

“The defendant knew higher than anyone the context his crimes had been dedicated in,” Heitman mentioned. “We’re grateful there was some accountability and a recognition of the really tough place these persons are in and a recognition of the hurt accomplished to the prison justice system.”

Schwantes’ legal professional Joseph Bugni argued in opposition to jail time and probation on the listening to. In an Aug. 22 submitting, Bugni mentioned Schwantes was dedicated to altering and disputed that he was “grooming” his shoppers.

All through the listening to, Bugni described Schwantes as a “damaged” particular person on the time of the incidents.

“That was actually any person who cared about folks, however he’s additionally any person who was damaged and who has misplaced a ton,” Bugni mentioned.

Bugni declined to touch upon the sentencing.

Schwantes resigned from the State Public Defender’s Workplace final September. Attorneys in Wisconsin who’re discovered responsible or convicted of against the law are required to inform the Workplace of Lawyer Regulation and the clerk of the Supreme Court docket inside 5 days of the discovering or conviction.

The Wisconsin State Public Defender’s Workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Schwantes has one week to report back to jail. He’s eligible to finish his probation early if his probation officer sees match, Kremers mentioned.

Investigation into Schwantes, others started in 2022

Schwantes’ case stemmed from a human trafficking investigation performed by the Milwaukee Police Division and the Milwaukee County District Legal professional’s Workplace beginning in April 2022.

The investigation started after a lady advised police she had engaged in prostitution out of an condominium on the town’s west aspect. The girl mentioned she labored underneath one other girl, known as Sufferer 1 in courtroom paperwork, in change for cocaine, in response to courtroom information.

Finally, Sufferer 1 was arrested and gave police an inventory of shoppers, the information present. Sufferer 1 was later charged and convicted of preserving a spot of prostitution and sentenced to at least one yr in jail and three years of supervision.

Throughout that case, her legal professional described her as a sufferer of intercourse trafficking. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel doesn’t title victims of sexual assault with out their consent.

5 different males, together with an funding banker, former firefighter and a retired municipal decide from Kenosha, had been charged with participating in prostitution because of the investigation, however many later pleaded responsible to completely different prices.

In the course of the probe, investigators discovered Schwantes had a sexual relationship with a vital witness to a murder investigation. Schwantes was not convicted of any crime associated to his relationship with the witness.

In unsealed search warrants, authorities recognized Sufferer 1’s boyfriend as a possible human trafficking suspect and the boyfriend’s brother, who additionally lived within the condominium constructing, as a suspected supply of medicine for the ladies.

Heitman declined to touch upon whether or not there was an ongoing investigation into the 2 males.

Sentencing ends case between acquainted entities

Schwantes’ case introduced collectively two teams — the general public defender’s workplace and the district legal professional’s workplace — who’ve typically battled one another within the courtroom, however seldom in such a direct approach.

Early on within the case, the potential conflicts of curiosity between the events drew consideration.

Circuit Decide Michelle A. Havas, the preliminary decide assigned to the case, recused herself to keep away from impacting the courtroom’s relationship with the general public defender’s workplace. Kremers, the retired decide, was appointed afterward.

The district legal professional’s workplace didn’t search a particular prosecutor for the case. District Legal professional Kent Lovern advised a reporter he didn’t see a necessity for one.

After the sentencing, Heitman acknowledged the case was distinctive, provided that the defendant was an legal professional who prosecutors typically argued in opposition to in courtroom.

“We adopted the proof the place it led,” Heitman mentioned. “You possibly can have the notion that somebody is getting extra totally investigated than they in any other case can be, however that was the character of the case.”

Schwantes, who as soon as ran for decide, was a distinguished public defender who gained a number of high-profile circumstances. That status was famous by Kremers throughout his sentencing remarks and in character letters filed by these near Schwantes, together with a number of public defenders.

Not all had been sympathetic — in a single letter, a public defender blasted Schwantes for the harm he prompted the workplace.

In a press release to the decide, an emotional Schwantes spoke of how he had tried to show his life round. He famous that he was attending remedy, repairing his friendships and relationships, and taking up constructive hobbies, like working.

In response to Kremers’ query about what he’ll do for work transferring ahead, Schwantes mentioned he was eager about counseling males who had gone by way of related conditions.

As Schwantes spoke, some within the gallery cried. One set free a sob as Kremers introduced his determination to provide him jail time.

“Being a public defender was the best honor of my life,” Schwantes mentioned in his remarks. “I failed so many individuals.”

David Clarey is a public security reporter on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He might be reached at dclarey@gannett.com.

Ashley Luthern of the Journal Sentinel contributed to this story.

This text initially appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ex-public defender Travis Schwantes will get 45 days for prostitution case