Grafton man convicted of threatening to shoot dentist

A 62-year-old Town of Grafton man charged with threatening to shoot a dentist and his staff as well as a Department of Natural Resources game warden pleaded guilty in Ozaukee County Circuit Court last week to making terrorist threats.

Jeffrey M. Knapp, who was arrested Sept. 20, 2024, outside his home and business, Bucky’s Taxidermy, after sheriff’s deputies tased and shot him with bean bag rounds, also pleaded guilty during a June 2 hearing to violating a restraining order and bail jumping.

Judge Adam Gerol accepted his pleas but delayed Knapp’s sentencing until July 28 to allow time for a presentence report to be prepared.

Assistant District Attorney Peter Hahn recommended that Knapp be sentenced to 18 months in prison and two years of extended supervision for making terrorist threats.

For the bail jumping conviction, Hahn recommended Knapp be sentenced to one year in prison and two years of extended supervision but that the sentence be stayed and he be placed on probation for three years, which means Knapp would not have to serve the time in prison and supervision unless he violates the condition of his probation. Hahn asked for a stayed jail sentence and an additional year of probation for violating the conditions of the restraining order.

Felony charges of threatening a law enforcement officer and two counts of bail jumping, as well as a misdemeanor count of resisting an officer, were dismissed as part of a plea agreement but read into the record, which means Gerol can consider them when sentencing Knapp.

The case against Knapp was based in part on interviews with the dentist  and one of Knapp’s friends, who provided detailed accounts of the threats he made. His friend said Knapp even told him he had three scenarios for killing the dentist, saying he would either shoot him from a tree stand, go to his home and make his wife watch as he shot him or go to his dental clinic with a shotgun and shoot the dentist and everyone else there, according to a criminal complaint.

Knapp’s friend said he was terrified the dentist and his family were in danger, noting that Knapp had numerous guns, was usually drunk and had threatened to kill himself after shooting the dentist, the complaint states.

After Knapp’s friend called the dentist on Sept. 20 to tell him about the threats, the dentist, who was out of town at the time, informed his staff of the possible danger and his family left home and went into hiding.

The dentist told authorities that Knapp first threatened him on Sept. 14 when he went to Bucky’s Taxidermy to pick up an item he had ordered.

The dentist said at first Knapp appeared normal although drunk, but then he began to rant and threatened to kill him and conservation warden Tony Young, according to the complaint.

The dentist said Knapp told him a story about a confrontation that occurred when Young came to his house. Knapp said he grabbed the warden’s gun out of his holster and told him to back off, adding that he would shoot Young if he came to his house again and said the wrong thing, the complaint states.

Knapp made up the story, authorities said.

The dentist said although he was very concerned about his Sept. 14 encounter with Knapp, he did not initially report the threats to authorities because he wanted to give Knapp time to deal with the recent death of his daughter, according to the complaint.

The dentist did, however, report the threats on Sept. 20 after being told by Knapp’s friend that he and his family were in danger.

That is when officers descended on Knapp’s home and business on Trailway Court. His wife left the house followed by Knapp, who walked to a detached garage, got into his truck and drove to the end of the driveway at a high rate of speed, gesturing at and making derogatory comments to officers, the complaint states.

Knapp got out of the truck and walked toward officers. He initially ignored commands, but then lied face down on the ground as he was ordered to do.

Knapp, however, then stood up, resisted officers and began walking back to his house. After an officer attempted unsuccessfully to tase Knapp, and because of his mental state, the homicidal and suicidal threats he made and his failure to comply with authorities, a deputy fired “less-lethal” bean bag rounds at him. The first round missed him. A second round appeared to strike him in the back but Knapp continued to ignore commands. A third round clearly hit Knapp and he went to the ground and was arrested, according to the complaint.

Knapp was charged on Oct. 11 and 10 days later posted $20,000 bail to be released from jail.

But in November, Knapp was arrested again and charged with bail jumping and violating a court order by texting the dentist after a judge granted the dentist his request for a restraining order prohibiting Knapp from harassing or having contact with him.

The message sent by Knapp to the dentist at 5 a.m. Friday, Nov. 8, read, “I redix the price of what u cheating me out on. 47 $,” according to a complaint filed in that case.

Knapp was arrested when he showed up for a firearms surrender hearing in the injunction case, during which his attorney, Daniel Baltz, told Judge Sandy Williams that Knapp had turned over his cache of 44 weapons to a relative.

According to an exhibit in the case, of the 44 weapons, 37 were guns and included a Bushmaster assault-style rifle, several high-powered hunting rifles, .22 caliber rifles, shotguns and handguns. Seven of the weapons were compound bows or crossbows.

Because of his felony convictions, Knapp is prohibited from ever possessing firearms again.

Knapp initially pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease but changed his pleas to not guilty after a psychiatric evaluation did not support an insanity defense. He then changed his pleas to guilty last week.

Knapp, who posted $50,000 to be released from jail again, remains free until his sentencing.