Update: Sturtevant Village Board Meeting Will Proceed Despite President's Arrest
Steven Jansen is being held on a $5,000 cash bond for one count of felony stalking.
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Update, 4:30 pm, Feb. 6: Village of Sturtevant Clerk/Deputy Treasurer Mary Cole said the regularly scheduled Village Board meeting on Tues., Feb. 7, will proceed despite Sturtevant Village President Steve Jansen's arrest for stalking.
"I have not amended the agenda," she said.
Trustees will appoint an acting president just for the meeting, Cole added. From there, however, she is not sure how the village will proceed.
"We're all kind of in shock right now," she said. "I'm sure we'll have some kind of statement but for now, there haven't been any conversations on what we'll do after tomorrow night."
Lt. Scott Geyer of the Mount Pleasant Police Department confirmed that officers received a call from the female victim before noon on Sun., Feb. 5, to report that Jansen was still trying to contact her despite being told on numerous occasions to stop.
"It became apparent during the course of our investigation that this was a case of stalking," Geyer said. "Our investigators went to Mr. Jansen's home and took him into custody without incident."
The MPPD forwarded the case to the Racine County District Attorney. Jansen is expected to hear the formal charge(s) against him during his initial appearance on Tues., Feb. 7 before Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch.
Update, 2 pm Feb. 6: Sturtevant Village President Steve Jansen's name was not on the list of initial appearances today, Feb. 6. He is expected to hear formal charges against him at 1:30 pm on Tues., Feb. 7, before Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch.
According to the Racine County Jail, Jansen remains in custody on a $5,000 cash bond. He is expected to be charged with one felony count of stalking.
Update, 11:30 am Feb. 6: Captain Brian Smith of the Mount Pleasant Police Department has told Patch that the case against Sturtevant Village President Steve Jansen may have started in October 2011.
Police are going to issue a written statement about Jansen's arrest for allegedly stalking a former girlfriend, but for now, Smith said his officers have had contact with Jansen on more than one occassion for reportedly harrassing a woman with whom he had a relationship.
"According to our reports, the female party was no longer interested in continuing a relationship with Mr. Jansen, but he kept attempting to contact her by phone and email," he said. "We do get calls from residents asking us to advise individuals that the relationship is over and to stop contact. In this case, it did elevate to the point of stalking."
At some point, police did contact the Racine County District Attorney's office. After the victim contacted police over the weekend that Jansen was supposedly still trying to contact her, the DA's office agreed that stalking was an appropriate definition. Mount Pleasant investigators went to Jansen's home and during the conversation, Jansen allegedly admitted the allegations, and he was taken into custody.
Jansen is scheduled to be formally charged with one count of felony stalking during his initial appearance before Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch at 1:30 on Tues., Feb. 7. He remains in the Racine County Jail on $5,000 cash bond.
Original Story, 9:30 am Feb. 6: Mount Pleasant Police have confirmed that Sturtevant Village President Steve Jansen has been charged with one count of felony stalking.
He was taken into custody shortly before noon on Sun., Feb. 5, after a Mount Pleasant woman phoned police to report that Jansen has been harrassing her.
Jansen, 52, is being held on a $5,000 cash bond at the Racine County Jail.
He has been president of Sturtevant since 2003 after serving three terms on the Village Board as a trustee.
The village does not have a statement at this time, Village Administrator Mark Janiuk confirmed.
C. Sanders
9:45 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Jeez ... what a mess. Fortunately, no one was physically injured, and if Jansen is convicted, maybe he can get some needed help.
Heather Rayne Geyer
9:54 am on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I hope everyone remembers that anyone can be accused of anything and that not everything in a police report is necessarily true.
I don't know this man or the accuser. Just sayin'....let's be careful before making judgments.
James R Hoffa
1:46 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Agreed.
Stalking is such a subjective and flimsy charge, that no one should be quick to pass judgment either way until ALL of the facts come to light.
skinnyDUDE
1:16 am on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Stalking isnt really that subjective and flemsy when the police have already contacted this guy and told him to back off and leave his ex - girlfriend alone. He still pursued her is my understanding and the communication were persistant after his talk with police. He seemingly fits the definition of a stalker as he is unwilling to cut ties . He is accused and the case isnt proven yet ..indeed. But one must also address the victims fears based on the evidence that has come out the judge seems to think they were more than legitimate. It doesnt look like this guy would go away .
Mariah
3:48 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
First off, guilt never surprises me, only innocence does. But what I don’t understand is why he is automatically being charged for stalking? I do understand that the police had contacted him and told him to leave her alone, but is there any court order? If not, he still has the freedom to do whatever he wants; even contact her as he pleases.
Another thing that I don’t understand is why HER side of the story is being publicized? He is the president of the Village of Sturtevant, making everyone shocked and changing their opinions about him. However, how is he going to speak in his defense when her story makes everyone overlook what he claims happened? AND why we only seeing that he continued to try to contact her. Nothing has been said about what Steve said to her within any contact he made to her. For all we know is he could have said, “hey what’s up?” None of her proof has been seen yet, it’s all by hear-say.
I also do not understand why she did not take any court action. Personally, If I felt as though I was being stalked, or even thought a situation could escalade to me being stalked, I would immediately go to the court and request a no contact order, or a restraining order if needed. I would not wait until a year later to take action. If she did try to abtain one, (which is another thing that we do not know) there is a reason why she was denied; and there wasn’t enough for a judge to think it was needed.
Mariah
3:48 pm on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Another thing that doesn’t make sense is why Steve is automatically being charged with stalking. According to the Fifth Amendment, “No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury,” ….. has this taken place yet? –no.
We don’t know the story about the break up, or the background of their relationship. Therefore we don’t know the roots of the situation. All we know is what is being said by the media. Considering the lack of her actions within the past year, have you ever thought maybe there was a bad break up that she is now using as her motive to ruin his name in the Village of Sturtevant? OR maybe he just loved the girl and didn’t want to give it up? The publicity has taken over this story, preventing people from knowing what actually happened.
I do know Steve Jansen, as well as his family. The last few years has put him through hell, due to personal reasons. However, he is a great president, father, and grandfather, and has successfully raised 3 wonderful children; one of which serves in the military, as well as continued his presidency in the Village. Give the guy a break and let the girls proof and his defense take its course in court. If he is found guilty of stalking, then that’s that. However until then, people shouldn’t make accusations about him by just relying on what is publicized, because there are always two sides of one story.
James R Hoffa
12:26 am on Friday, February 10, 2012
"According to the Fifth Amendment, “No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury,” ….. has this taken place yet? –no."
Actually, a presentment was made when the D.A., via the Court, served him with the criminal complaint. Wisconsin does not use a Grand Jury system, and has instead adopted a 'preliminary hearing' or 'no cause' system of criminal jurisprudence.
One thing you forgot though is that the 'victim' very well could have been contacting him and/or encouraging his solicitations, while claiming otherwise to police. As you and I have both said, we don't know his side of what happened yet, nor do we have all of the facts upon which to base a logical and rational judgment.
Stalking is so subjective and flimsy to begin with, as the indictment is only ever based on one side's story. Here, the judge and DA went along with it solely because of the prior police intervention, but even that doesn't tell the whole story.
In all fairness, he should be presumed innocent in the court of public perception until proven otherwise in a court of law.
Craig
11:20 pm on Thursday, February 9, 2012
Innocent until proven guilty. We are not privy to the content of the messages or emails. Felony Stalking in my mind indicates something more than emails asking her to reconsider their relationship. If that is all this was, half of the population is guilty of the same thing. (maybe not to this extent as most would give up after a warning or month of failed attempts)
Being head over heels in love affects everyone differently, just have to wait to see how this one plays out.
Gayla
3:32 pm on Wednesday, February 15, 2012
No mention of a restraining order first?