Two men face four felonies after items stolen in burglaries pawned
Money allegedly used to buy heroin
STAR JOURNAL REPORT
Two men investigated for possible property crimes in Oneida County and linked to pawning “an extremely large amount of items” at pawn shops in the Rhinelander, Wausau and Appleton areas now face four felony charges.
Kevin S. Kottwitz, 45, of Three Lakes, has been charged with felony counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, burglary of a building or dwelling, burglary of a locked enclosed cargo portion of a truck or trailer and theft of movable property.
Shannon W. Kramarczyk, 45, of Chilton, has been charged with burglary of a locked enclosed cargo portion of a truck or trailer, burglary of a building or dwelling, theft of a firearm and theft of movable property.
Both men made initial appearances Monday in Oneida County Circuit Court, where their cash bonds were each set at $10,000. They are scheduled back in court June 20 for their adjourned initial appearances.
According to court records, two burglaries were reported in the town of Monico in the later part of last month, while a string of burglaries were being investigated in the town of Three Lakes from where Kottwitz allegedly had a stolen chain saw from a burglary and pawned it at the Hodag Gun & Loan.
Court records further allege Kottwitz attempted to pawn a firearm at Hodag Gun & Loan, which refused to buy it, and a records check discovered that he was a convicted felon and not allowed to possess a firearm.
Kottwitz was in the company of Kramarczyk at the Hodag Gun & Loan when Kramarczyk allegedly had the chain saw that was stolen in a burglary in Three Lakes.
A bronze statue of a cowboy riding a horse, also believed to be taken in a burglary in Three Lakes, was pawned by Kramarczyk.
When Kottwitz went to the Hodag Gun & Loan last weekend with the intention to sell a boat, he was taken into custody there, while Kramarczyk was taken into custody in Three Lakes, according to court records.
After being taken into custody, Kramarczyk, who indicated he had been living with Kottwitz in Three Lakes since approximately the beginning of the year, allegedly stated, “You got me red-handed,” then admitted to pawning stolen items and stated he and Kottwitz worked together and committed burglaries in Oneida County.
Court records further state Kramarczyk admitted he and Kottwitz entered garages and houses that were vacant, or appeared to be part-time residences. Kramarczyk also allegedly stated that he and Kottwitz would usually pawn items immediately after the burglaries.
In addition to residential burglaries, Kramarczyk also stated he and Kottwitz stole things from a construction trailer in Monico that was parked at the intersection of Hwy. 8 and 45.
Though Kramarczyk claimed he never took firearms, according to court records, he stated Kottwitz may have stolen firearms from the burglaries he committed alone.
Kramarczyk allegedly stated both he and Kottwitz are heroin users, and they would buy heroin with the money received from the stolen items at the pawn shops.
Kottwitz chose not to answer questions after being taken into custody and invoked his right to remain silent, according to court records.
In a separate case, Kottwitz pleaded no contest Monday to a seventh offense of operating while intoxicated, for which he is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 2.
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