The Merrill Police Department is notifying the Merrill community of the impending release of a convicted sex offender.
On Oct. 14, Kevin Pophal will be released to Community Supervision administered by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. He is not wanted by the police at this time.
“This notification is not intended to increase fear; rather, it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public,” stated Merrill Police Chief Ken Neff. “Sex offenders have always lived in our communities; but is was not until the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry and Community Notification Law was enacted that law enforcement was able to share this information with the community.”
Pophal will be released back to Lincoln County, which was his county of residence at the time of his conviction. He will be on supervision with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections until Oct. 5, 2021. Upon release, Pophal will be placed on Intensive Supervision, and will be subject to the Department of Corrections Global Positioning System (GPS). He will be required to register with the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry Program. The Sex Offender Registry can be located at www.widocoffenders.org.
Pophal was convicted of sexually assaulting three 12-year-old female acquaintances. He was convicted in 2008 of 1st Degree Sexual Assault of a Child, and in 2009 of 1st and 2nd Degree Sexual Assault of a Child.
If you have concerns or questions regarding Pophal, please contact the Merrill Police Department at 715-536-8311.