Steele City Man Rejects Plea Deal, Now Charged with a Felony

A Steele City man facing multiple misdemeanor charges was originally scheduled for a trial. Instead, he now finds himself charged with a felony.Trevor S. Pingel, age 39, appeared in Jefferson County Court on Thursday, November 30, 2023. Linda Bauer was the presiding judge.Pingel was originally charged with assaulting an officer with bodily fluids, a class 1 misdemeanor; criminal mischief resulting in damage with a value between $1,500 and $5,000, a class 1 misdemeanor; and disturbing the peace, a class 3 misdemeanor.The criminal mischief is the result of a vehicle's damaged windscreen. There is no arrest affidavit available and no further details of the crime are available in the public court documents.At a hearing on Wednesday, November 8, Jefferson County Attorney Joseph Casson advised the court there was a plea agreement offered in which the defendant would plea guilty or No Contest to criminal mischief and pay restitution for damaged windscreen. All remaining charges would be dismissed.The defendant is represented by Public Defender Scott Gropp, who advised the court his client rejected the plea agreement and wanted a jury trial.“I'm not taking a class one misdemeanor,” Pingel told the court at the time. “I'll take the class three on that case and be done with this today. I'll take the disturbing peace charges. But we got to be done with this today.”Judge Bauer told the defendant, “I don't know that you're totally in control of the situation here, as much as you think you are here. We have these set for trial. And we can go ahead and try them and see what a jury thinks about your innocence or guilt, and you may be convicted of a lot more charges. So, if that's what you wish to do, then it's okay.”A jury trial was set. However, the week prior to the scheduled date of the trial, Casson advised the court that he was amending the complaint to add two new charges: terroristic threats, a class 3A felony publishable by up to three years in prison, followed by nine to 18 moths of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine; and obstructing a peace officer, a class 1 misdemeanor.Instead of a trial, Pingel was arraigned on these new charges. Pingel was also informed that the plea offer had been rescinded by the state.Pingel remains free on a $2,500 (10 percent) bond at this time. Another hearing is set for December 13, 2023.This is not Pingel's first run in with the law. On March 12, 2020, he was sentenced in Jefferson County District Court to 24 months of probation. The defendant Pingel was originally charged with the manufacture or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a class 2 felony punishable by one to 50 years in prison; possession of a deadly weapon (a knife) by a prohibited person, a class 3 felony that carries a possible penalty of four years' incarceration, followed by nine months to two years post-release supervision and a $25,000 fine; possession of methamphetamine, a class 4 felony that carries two years incarceration, nine to 12 months post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine; and a charge of habitual criminal, a felony which can be used to enhance penalties. In accordance with the plea Agreement, Pingel pleaded No Contest to a reduced charge of attempt of a class 3 felony, which is a class 4 felony. The remaining charges were dismissed.

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