BY TINA L. SCOTT
EDITOR
Charges of threats and intimidation of a witness that were filed last July 2023 by the State of Wisconsin against now 22-year-old Vincent Anthony Galella and his now 52-year-old aunt, Tia R. Raddatz, were dismissed in Lincoln County Circuit Court on Feb. 8, 2024, along with the related charges of defamation, resisting or obstructing an officer, and, in Galella’s case, bail jumping. Judge Galen Bayne-Allison dismissed those charges against both defendants in a formal order on Feb. 9 without prejudice, meaning the State reserves the right to file related charges in the future if warranted; however, as of this time, no related charges have been filed and, as to these original charges, Galella and Raddatz are presumed innocent.
Additional charges against Galella still stand. In May 2023, Galella was charged with two felonies – attempted first degree sexual assault with a dangerous weapon and first degree recklessly endangering safety, as well as a misdemeanor count of operating a firearm while intoxicated – all relating to an incident alleged to have occurred on May 8, 2023. These charges are still pending and a jury trial for this matter is set for Aug. 5, 2024.
In late July 2023, Galella was also charged with three additional felonies – attempted first degree child sexual assault/intercourse with a person under 16 by use of threat or force/violence, second degree sexual assault of a child, and false imprisonment – all relating back to an incident alleged to have occurred back in March 2018 when Galella was 17 years old and the reporting victim was 14 years old. These charges are still pending, with a hearing on the matter also scheduled for August.
In reference to these May 2023 and the latter referenced July 2023 charges, those cases have not been concluded, and unless a judgment of conviction is entered, Galella is still also presumed innocent of those charges.