Man who cut detective, was shot pleads guilty

Town of Fredonia resident faces 15-year prison recommendation for battery, child porn convictions
By 
BILL SCHANEN IV
Ozaukee Press staff

A 58-year-old man who threatened detectives with a knife and cut one of them before being shot when authorities came to his Town of Fredonia home last year to serve a child pornography search warrant pleaded guilty in Ozaukee County Circuit Court last week to four felonies.

Kenneth M. Harter now faces a recommendation from District Attorney Benjamin Lindsay that he be sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by 18 years of extended supervision when he appears before Judge Steve Cain on Feb. 19.

During a Dec. 9 hearing, Cain accepted Harter’s pleas and found him guilty of battery to a law enforcement officer and first-degree recklessly endangering safety, both with the use of a dangerous weapon, as well as two counts of possession of child pornography.

Three additional counts of child pornography possession were dismissed as part of a plea agreement but read into the record, which means Cain can consider them when sentencing him.

Harter was shot and arrested at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 7, 2023, after Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputies went to the house where he lives with his mother on Highway E to serve a search warrant in connection with an internet crimes against children investigation and were met at the door by Harter and his mother, according to a criminal complaint and the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office.

As deputies identified themselves and explained why they were at the house, Harter attempted to get his mother to leave the area, then ran into the kitchen and grabbed a 12-inch knife, the complaint states.

Harter held the knife over his head in a threatening manner while near the deputies. Two detectives then attempted to take the knife from Harter to prevent him from stabbing them or hurting himself, according to the complaint.

A struggle ensued and shots were fired, striking Harter.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, one of the detectives at the home fired the shots.

The detective who was injured said he saw Harter run into the kitchen and grab an object. Harter then moved his arm toward the detective as if he were going hit or stab him with the object, the complaint states.

The deputy raised his arm to protect himself and in the process was cut by Harter.

The detective was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Harter was seriously injured and taken by ambulance to an area hospital. He was released and booked in the county jail days later.

Harter was initially charged in connection with the incident at his home but in February the possession of child pornography charges were added based on an investigation handled by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.

During a court hearing last year, Harter’s lawyer at the time, public defender Heather Dvoran, said her client was indigent and supported by his mother and disability payments he receives related to injuries he suffered in an automobile accident.

Prosecutors have noted that  Harter has a criminal record. He was convicted of felony substantial battery and felony battery in 1998, misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct in 2005 and second-offense driving while intoxicated in 2015, according to court records.

Harter, whose bail was set at $150,000, has been in custody since his arrest. Cain revoked his bail last week, guaranteeing Harter will remain in the county jail until his Feb. 19 sentencing.

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Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.

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