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Felon faces meth, child porn charges

Suspect spent most of this century in prison

By Robert Cloud


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Franz

Raymond A. Franz, 35, Waupaca, is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of exposing genitals to a child, possession of child pornography and felon in possession of a firearm in the first case.

In the second case, he faces charges of possession of methamphetamine, resisting an officer and two counts of felony bail jumping.

Franz has been charged as a repeat offender due to prior felony convictions.

He was convicted of burglary in 2013, felony possession of marijuana in 2012, substantial battery in 2001, two counts of taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent in November 2000, burglary in May 2000 and burglary in 1999.

From January 2001 to February 2009, Franz spent most of his time incarcerated. He was released into extended supervision in 2009, then returned to prison on Jan. 30, 2013, for violating the terms of his supervision.

He was released from a supervised living facility on April 14, 2015.

On Jan. 6, 2016, a 24-year-old woman told Waupaca County Sheriff’s Deputy Timothy Myers that she found photos and videos of illegal activities on a cellphone that Franz had given her in September 2015.

According to the criminal complaint, the 35 photos and two videos showed Franz having sex with a teenaged girl and firing a shotgun.

The earliest photo from Franz’s cellphone was dated Oct. 23, 2010, and involved a girl who was 16 years old at the time, police said.

At the time the images were allegedly taken, Franz was living with his mother in the town of Royalton.

On Feb. 17, 2016, Franz was taken into custody, where he remained on a $10,000 cash bond.

On March 14, the bond was amended to $1,000 cash, which was posted on March 16. Franz was then released into a Transitional Living Program facility.

Under the TLP rules, Franz was allowed to leave the facility from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

On April 4, Franz allegedly left the facility without permission, returned for a few minutes on April 6, then left again. He also cut off his ankle bracelet, the complaint says. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

Shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday, April 14, Waupaca Police Officer Nate Nelson was advised that Franz had been seen at a home on the 600 block of Waupaca Street.

At approximately 6:30 p.m., Nelson and Officer Paul Benzschawel arrived at the home. While speaking with the homeowner at the front door, Nelson saw Franz running toward the back. Nelson ran around the home and saw Franz trying to climb out a window, the complaint says.

When Franz saw the officer, he reportedly bolted back into the house, then ran out the front door. Nelson and Benzschawel pursued Franz and arrested him in a yard on Ware Street.

Nelson reported finding a paper bindle with meth in it. He also reported that Franz blacked out from an apparent overdose while waiting in the squad car. Nelson transported him to the Waupaca hospital.

Franz is currently in custody on a $10,000 cash bond.

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