On Thursday April 25, a Merrill man accused of burglarizing a Gleason-area tavern on Christmas, was sentenced to prison.
As part of a plea agreement with the Lincoln County District Attorney’s Office, 40-year old Bradley D. Graap pled no-contest to a felony count of burglary to a building or dwelling. Other charges of felony-possession of burglarious tools and misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property and theft of movable property under $2,500, were dismissed, but read-in for sentencing purposes.
As a result, Graap was sentenced to six years in the Wisconsin State Prison System; two years initial confinement and four years extended supervision. Upon release from prison in 2021, conditions of extended supervision will include Graap maintaining absolute sobriety, completing a GED (General Education Diploma) program, he may not enter tavern/bar premises and must pay restitution in the amount of $4,479.04 with the first $1,400.00 payable to the owners of Z’s Fork Horners Bar and Grill.
The remaining balance will be payable to Society Insurance Company. Graap was given 21 days jail credit due to time served since his arrest on April 4.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, in the early morning hours of December 25, 2018, deputies responded to a commercial burglary alarm at Z’s Fork Horners Bar and Grill located on County Road X in the Town of Schley. Upon arrival, deputies found entry had been forcefully made into the establishment via evidence of a pry bar being used. An employee on-scene identified three money bags containing $300 was missing from the establishment. Upon further investigation, a pair of latex gloves, a piece of black cloth and a green knit cap were found approximately a mile and a half from the establishment.
The items were later submitted to the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory in Madison for further analysis. According to the criminal complaint, the items drew a match to Graap via the CODIS system (Combined DNA Index System). Graap was later identified as the male depicted in still-photos from video surveillance. The photos reportedly depicted Graap inside the establishment with a pry bar, just minutes before responding deputies arrived.