By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — A 56-year-old Boyceville man has pleaded “no contest” and been found guilty of one felony count of possession with intent to deliver greater than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Franklin J. Bignell appeared with his attorney, Scott S. Schlough, for a plea hearing before Judge Christina M. Mayer in Dunn County Circuit Court October 1.
Judge Mayer accepted the plea agreement and Bignell’s plea to possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, with a modifier of a second or subsequent offense removed, found him guilty and dismissed a variety of other charges.
In this particular case, Bignell originally was charged with one Class C felony of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, greater than 50 grams with a modifier of a second or subsequent offense; one Class D felony of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, 10 to 50 grams, with a modifier of a second or subsequent offense; one Class I felony of maintaining a drug trafficking place; and one Class I felony of possession of amphetamine/LSD/psilocybin, second offense; as well as two misdemeanor counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The charges that were dismissed in the other cases and read into the record for sentencing include three felony counts of bail jumping, one felony count of possession of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana), second offense; one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia; and one traffic citation of operating left of center.
Dunn County District Attorney Andrea Nodolf asked that Bignell be held in custody pending sentencing, but Judge Mayer ordered the bail to continue.
A $5,000 cash bail was set April 15, 2020, for the first case, and another cash bail of $2,500 was set April 23, 2020, for the second case. There was no bail set in the third case, according to online court records.
The $5,000 cash bail was posted April 6, 2020, and the $2,500 cash bail was posted April 30, 2020.
Judge Mayer ordered a pre-sentence investigation (PSI) be completed by December 7.
A sentencing hearing for Bignell is scheduled for December 21 at 3 p.m.
According to a news release from the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department, a Dunn County sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop in the Town of Dunn on April 2, 2020, which led to the arrest of an adult male and the seizure of methamphetamine.
Based on information received during the traffic stop, a search warranted was executed in the Village of Boyceville in conjunction with the West Central Drug Task Force and the Boyceville Police Department.
As a result of the search warrant, 110 grams of methamphetamine were recovered, along with “ecstasy” pills and packaging material.
One man was taken into custody as a result of the traffic stop, according to the news release.
In a response to an e-mail message the Colfax Messenger and the Tribune Press Reporter sent to Boyceville Police Chief Greg Lamkin asking for the name of the person associated with the news release issued by the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department, Police Chief Lamkin replied with a link to Bignell’s online court file.
Possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver in an amount greater than 50 grams is a Class C felony that carries a possible penalty of a fine of up to $100,000 and/or 40 years in prison.
District Attorney Nodolf told the court that she would cap her recommendation for prison time at three years of initial confinement, according to online court records.
Bignell also is scheduled for an arraignment hearing in Dunn County Circuit Court on November 17 in which he is charged with three felonies related to the sexual assault of a child.
Bail was set with a $1,000 signature bond in that case on December 29, 2020.
