Zanchetti chrged with stealing over $30,000, bound over for trial
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — A 29-year-old Chippewa Falls man charged with four felonies related to stealing nearly $30,000 worth of tools from Timber Technologies in Colfax has been bound over for trial in Dunn County Circuit Court.
Mason P. Zanchetti appeared in Dunn County Circuit Court August 5 for a preliminary hearing before Judge James Peterson.
Zanchetti is charged with two felony counts of bail jumping, one felony count of burglary to a building and one felony count of the theft of movable property having a value of more than $10,000 but less than $100,000.
The charges of burglary and theft carry the modifier of being a party to a crime.
Zanchetti waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and Judge Peterson accepted the voluntary waiver of the preliminary hearing and bound Zanchetti over for trial.
An arraignment hearing is scheduled for November 5.
Judge Peterson set bail for Zanchetti with a $2,500 signature bond during an initial court appearance in February.
The felony bail jumping charges are related to a case in Chippewa County in November of 2020 in which the defendant was convicted of retail theft (less than $500).
Timber Tech
A representative for Timber Technologies contacted Colfax Police Chief William Anderson on October 21, 2024, to report that a theft had occurred in the last two or three weeks, according to the criminal complaint.
Timber Tech has about 10 current employees and several former employees who would have the access code to the door, the Timber Tech representative said.
The list of tools taken included a circular saw valued at $412; a router valued at $199; a cordless drill and impact driver valued at $256; a DeWalt planer valued at $549; a chain mortiser valued at $7,810; and two chain beam saws valued at $16,260.
The total estimated value of the stolen tools was $28,085.
Liddell
Police Chief Anderson requested assistance from the Chippewa County sheriff’s department to find out if the tools had been listed for sale on-line, according to the criminal complaint.
One of the stolen tools had been sold at a pawn shop in Minnesota.
The person who had sold the chain beam saw was identified as Logan Hunter Liddell.
Police Chief Anderson and another law enforcement officer met with Liddell at his residence in Chippewa Falls on December 12, according to the criminal complaint.
When Police Chief Anderson asked Liddell if he had been to a pawn shop in Minnesota to pawn a beam saw, Liddell said that Brandon Hayes had the saw and received the money for the saw when it was pawned.
Liddell said he went to the pawn shop to help Hayes because Hayes did not have the necessary identification to pawn items.
Liddell told the investigators that he did not know the beam saw was stolen, although he probably should have realized it was stolen, according to the criminal complaint.
Crime alert
On November 18, 2024, Police Chief Anderson saw a Wisconsin Crime Alert posted by the Eau Claire Police Department regarding a possible burglary or theft of construction tools, according to the criminal complaint.
The Eau Claire Police Department had recovered a DeWalt planer and a circular saw that were the same make and model of the two items stolen from Timber Tech.
According to the crime alert, the suspect that was possibly involved with the theft of the items was Mason Zanchetti.
Police Chief Anderson contacted Timber Technologies to find out if Zanchetti had ever worked there and discovered that Zanchetti had been employed by Timber Tech from January of 2021 through July of 2021, according to the criminal complaint.
Two Chippewa County investigators had met with Zanchetti’s wife, who had opened the garage and showed the investigators numerous tools.
When Police Chief Anderson and a Chippewa County investigator met with him, Zanchetti told them that two other people had assisted in the burglary and identified them as Brandon Hayes and “Sean,” but said he did not have any identifying information for “Sean,” according to the criminal complaint.
Hayes
Brandon Hayes, age 32, is charged with two felony counts of bail jumping, one felony count of burglary to a building as a party to a crime and one felony count of theft of movable property valued at more than $10,000 but less than $100,000 as a party to a crime.
Hayes made an initial appearance in Dunn Count Circuit Court in February, and Judge Peterson set bail at $1,000 cash.
Hayes appeared for a preliminary hearing on May 15 and was in custody at the Dunn County Jail at the time of preliminary hearing.
Following testimony from Police Chief Anderson, Judge Christina Mayer found probable cause and bound Hayes over for trial, according to on-line court records.
Hayes’ attorney, Zachary Fisher, asked the court to reduce the bail, and Judge Mayer to set bail at $500 cash.
On June 23, Hayes was still in custody at the Dunn County Jail, and Judge Mayer modified the bail to a $10,000 signature bond.
No-show
Hayes failed to show up for an arraignment hearing on July 14, and his attorney said he believed that Hayes was currently in treatment.
Judge Mayer rescheduled the arraignment hearing for July 18.
Hayes also missed the second scheduled arraignment hearing on July 18, and his attorney said he had no idea of his whereabouts.
Judge Mayer issued a bench warrant for Hayes.
Hayes was returned to court on the bench warrant before Judge Luke Wagner on July 25.
The Dunn County district attorney’s office requested a $1,000 cash bond since Hayes had missed several court appearances.
Hayes’ attorney asked that the signature bond be reinstated, and Judge Wagner quashed the bench warrant and reinstated the $10,000 signature bond.
Judge Wagner also warned Hayes that if he missed another court appearance, a cash bail may be requested.
Hayes is scheduled for an arraignment hearing again in Dunn County Circuit Court on August 21.
