News: Neillsville (Inmates change places 1983)

Contact: Kathleen E. Englebretson

Email: kathy@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Simons, Wolk, Reil

---Source: Marshfield News-Herald (3 May 1983)

NEILLSVILLE - Two Clark County men will be serving longer jail sentences than they had planned after a scheme to switch places in the county jailed backfired.

Stevens M. Simons, 22, Humbird, was sentenced last week to 30 days in jail without work release privileges for probation violations. He was to have started serving his term Monday.

A friend, James J. Wolf, 19, Humbird, was sentenced to a week in jail after being found guilty of encouraging violation of probation terms.

The turn of events resulting in the sentences began April 19 when Simons was placed on two years probation and ordered to serve one week-end in jail in lieu of a two-year prison term for battery.

He was to serve the jail term the week-end of April 23.

Authorities said a man appeared at the jail Saturday who identified himself as Simons. He said he was there to serve his week-end jail term.

Sunday afternoon Bob Reil thought he recognized someone else in the jail area where Simons had been assigned. Upon confronting the man, Reil discovered that Simons wasn't in jail, but Wolk instead.

The two men appeared before Circuit Judge Michael Brennan last week for sentencing. Simon's original two-day jail sentence turned into a combination of 37 days for both men.