A disgraced Wisconsin prosecutor secretly recorded himself having intercourse with three girls, together with one he was prosecuting.
Daniel Steffen, 52, was an assistant district lawyer in Burnett County, Wisconsin, throughout his crimes. He was heard in at the very least one of many recordings promising leniency in alternate for intercourse, in accordance with the legal criticism.
He was sentenced to 18 months in jail after he was convicted in April. He confronted a most of 10.5 years behind bars.
One of many victims – recognized in court docket paperwork as “Sufferer 1” – was the defendant in a legal case that Steffen was prosecuting.
“Whereas the defendant and Sufferer #1 are nonetheless engaged in intercourse, the defendant appears on the digital camera, sticks his tongue out, and winks a number of instances,” and could be heard repeatedly telling the sufferer, “Who’s in cost?” the criticism stated.
Steffen’s unlawful escapades between 2018 and 2020 have been uncovered after a witness informed investigators that “Sufferer 1,” “brazenly talked about having sexual relations with a Burnett County ADA in alternate for leniency on legal instances.”
The girl was in court docket after violating an order of safety towards her baby’s father. She in the end needed to pay a high-quality.
“Sufferer 1” initially denied having relations with Steffen whereas she was being questioned by investigators, however later admitted to it after they informed her she was seen in a recording on Steffen’s iPad, which was seized as proof, court docket paperwork stated.
Steffen gave her his private cell hone quantity, and so they texted for a few days earlier than he invited her to his residence, the place they’d intercourse “a number of” instances, in accordance with the legal criticism. Additionally they had intercourse at his workplace throughout work hours.
The recordings have been from Feb. 11, Aug. 8 and Sept. 11, 2018, and, “It doesn’t seem that VICTIM #1 knew she was being recorded,” in accordance with the criticism.
Related actions have been detailed about one other sufferer, whom he informed may keep away from prices for hitting a mailbox.
Once more, the sufferer didn’t know she was being recorded, in accordance with the legal criticism.
St. Croix County Circuit Choose Scott Nordstrand handed down the sentence.
Along with his jail time, Steffen should serve two years of prolonged supervision, 4 years of probation and placement for 10 years on Wisconsin’s intercourse offender registry.
