VIROQUA, Wis. – On June 20, former Vernon County resident Nakeil Jermaine Bettis was sentenced in Vernon County Circuit Court to 28 days jail time (already served), and three years probation after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors in five criminal cases. Bettis originally faced 41 charges and plead not contest to multiple charges, including negligent handling of a firearm, obstructing and resisting an officer, disorderly conduct, battery (as acts of domestic abuse), and felony bail jumping. Bettis entered no contest pleas to the amended charges, while other counts were dismissed but read in for sentencing purposes.
Those five criminal cases stemmed from a series of incidents that took place throughout 2024 and started on May 6, 2024, when Vernon County Sheriffs deputies responded to an altercation at a residence between Westby and Viroqua. It was reported that during the altercation a firearm was discharged. Officers immediately responded and determined the victim, a 41-year-old female was safe at a different location. Officers establishing a perimeter, Bettis was seen running in a cornfield and eventually apprehended.
According to the criminal complaint in that case Bettis claimed there was no weapon or physical altercation, but the victim reported being slapped and mentioned a gunshot occurring during their argument over money. The victim also stated that after Bettis confronted her about money, a gunshot was fired from his pants pocket, followed by physical violence. The report states the victim had visible injuries and left to seek help while Bettis was on the phone. The investigation revealed inconsistencies in Bettis’s account compared to victims statements, which included the presence of a firearm and physical harm.
Charges file in that case include:
- Count 1: FIRST DEGREE RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING SAFETY, DOMESTIC ABUSE
- Count 2: MISDEMEANOR BATTERY, DOMESTIC ABUSE
- Count 3: DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DOMESTIC ABUSE
- Count 4: OBSTRUCTING AN OFFICER
On June 18, 2024, Bettis was charged with failing to comply with the terms of his bond after being released from custody on felony charges after a woman was admitted to Gundersen Health System Emergency Room in La Crosse with a gunshot wound to her knee. She reported that the injury occurred while she was attempting to protect her goats from a coyote, at the same address as the May incident, with a pistol. A deputy interviewed the woman who stated she was home alone when the gun accidentally discharged.
The woman later mentioned that her boyfriend, Nakeil Bettis, came home shortly after the incident and drove her to the hospital. However, inconsistencies arose when a witness reported an argument between the woman and Bettis before the incident. Investigators confirmed that Bettis was under bond conditions prohibiting contact with with the woman. Bettis had previously been granted a $1,000 cash bond, which included several non-monetary conditions, such as avoiding contact with the woman and not possessing firearms.
As a redult of that incident Bettis was charged with:
Count 1: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
On Oct 15, 2024, officers were again called to the same residence for another incident that ended to Bettis facing more charges. According to a criminal complaint on that date law enforcement received a call from a witness reporting a physical altercation between Bettis and and the victim. Upon arrival, officers spoke with both parties. Bettis denied any physical confrontation, ant the victim initially claimed the incident was merely verbal. However, she later expressed her emotional distress to investigators, revealing a history of abuse and ongoing accusations from Bettis regarding infidelity.
Witness 1 corroborated Victim 1’s claims, stating she had witnessed physical abuse, including instances of Bettis choking her. Investigators reported visible injuries, including bruising and signs of strangulation, were observed on victim. Victim injuries were documented and supported by witness testimony indicating it lasted longer than initially stated.
Additional charges were filed against Bettic including:
- Count 1: AGGRAVATED BATTERY, DOMESTIC ABUSE
- Count 2: MISDEMEANOR BATTERY, DOMESTIC ABUSE
- Count 3: DISORDERLY CONDUCT, DOMESTIC ABUSE
- Count 4: POSSESSION OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOLS (THC)
- Count 5: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
- Count 6: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
- Count 7: MISDEMEANOR BATTERY, DOMESTIC ABUSE, DOMESTIC ABUSE -INFLICTION OF PHYSICAL PAIN OR INJURY
On October 23, 2024, Bettis and the victim were involved in another incident, this time at the AmericInn in Viroqua. According to a criminal complaint, on that date, officers responded to a report of a verbal altercation between Bettis, and a female at the AmericInn. The couple stated they were arguing over a lost debit card. The officers informed them that they could leave but could not stay at the hotel without a room. After Bettis left for Kwik Trip, the officers learned he was on a bail bond that prohibited contact with the female.
Officers located Bettis at Kwik Trip and placed him under arrest for violating the no-contact provision. Bettis resisted arrest, pulling away and yelling, drawing attention from patrons. Despite officers attempts to restrain him, Bettis continued to resist. Eventually, an tried to take him to the ground, but Bettis landed on top of him, causing minor injuries. Another officer arrived and used a taser on Bettis, allowing the officers to successfully place him in handcuffs.
Bettis was not only in violation of his bail bond conditions regarding contact with the female but was also on bail for two other cases in Vernon County, which required that he not commit new crimes while on bond.
As a result of that incident Bettis was charged with:
- Count 1: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
- Count 2: RESISTING AN OFFICER
- Count 3: ATTEMPT BATTERY TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
- Count 4: DISORDERLY CONDUCT
- Count 5: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
- Count 6: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
- Count 7: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
On November 5, 2024, Bettis was again in contact with the victim and officers were later forced to issue a shelter in place order for the Coon Valley Elementary School after his car was located in Coon Valley and it was believed he had fled on foot.
According to the criminal complaint in that case the victim called the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office and reported that Bettis was at her residence. She reported that he had not harmed her, but she was very afraid because he was in the bedroom. Dispatch lost contact with her and was
unable to get her back on the phone.
When deputies arrived at the residence neither the victim or Bettis were there. Officers were able to use traffic cameras and spotted the victims vehicle in Coon Valley. An officer conducted a
traffic stop on the vehicle. The victim was the only occupant in the vehicle and stated that
the defendant exited the vehicle on Anderson Street prior to her being stopped and fled on foot.
An investigator interviewed the victim who stated that she had come home earlier that day and found the Bettis asleep in her bedroom. She said that she woke him up and told him that they needed to talk. The victim stated that she could tell that the conversation was going to turn into an argument and she knew nothing productive would be accomplished. The Victim stated that she then left the residence and got into her vehicle and Bettis got into the passenger side before she could lock it. She said that the defendant told her that he needed to go to La Crosse. She told him that she would take him because she was on her way to work.
The investigator reported he noticed that her left eye had a significant bruise on it. The bruise appeared to be healing and he believed it to be several days old. The victim stated that the injury was from when the defendant hit her a few days earlier. She believed that it occurred on November 1, 2024, when the defendant struck her with an open hand across her left eye, causing the bruise. The victim explained that the physical altercations happen so often that she does not remember anymore to cover up her injuries. The victim stated that Bettis has struck her numerous times in the past.
This incident, along with another incident the day before on Nov. 4 handled the Viroqua Police Department at a Viroqua Kwik Trip resulted in 21 more charges against Bettis including:
- Count 1: STALKING
- Count 2 – 21: FELONY BAIL JUMPING
Plea hearing and sentencing
At the June 20 plea hearing and sentencing, Judge Lukas Steiner discussed the elements of each charge and ensured Bettis understood the rights he was waiving by pleading guilty. The plea deal included a joint recommendation from District Attorney Angela Palmer-Fisher and Bettis’ attorney, Ransome Springer, for time served (28 days) and three years probation.
Palmer-Fisher said she agreed to the deal for several reasons including the fact that Mr. Bettis has had no criminal history outside of the incidents that involved year and half relationship that has now ended. Palmer-Fisher said since that relationship has ended there has been no interaction with law enforcement and Bettis did ultimately come to court knowing he would be taken into custody.
Plamer-Fisher said they had considered Bettis for a county domestic abuse program but that program was no longer an option because grant money for that program had been withdrawn from the federal government. Palmer-Fisher said Bettis is also no longer residing in the county and has followed all the conditions of bond since last November.
Bettis’ attorney, Ransom Springer said Bettis has moved on and all the charges he was facing stemmed from a “bad relationship” that he has moved on from.
“It looks to me like everything in this case is related to this relationship,” said Springer. “The nature of that relationship deteriorated over time. They had been dating for two years when this started, and it looks to me like it was a bad breakup, and a bad breakup that ended up so bad that law enforcement got involved. I’m not trying to minimize what Mr. Bettis did, but he’s here, taking responsibility for that. Obviously, no matter how bad things are, it’s not okay they hit someone.”
Springer said it was the time in jail that caused Bettis to move on and take responsibility.
“It took Mr. Bettis spending 28 days in jail for him to come to the realization that obviously this relationship could not be salvaged,” said Springer. “And that he needed not only to end it (with the victim), but it also upended his life.”
Springer said Bettis will have a felony conviction that will have a consequences as he moves forward.
Judge Steiner spoke to the seriousness of he charges and the acceptance of the plea.
“When I heard 28 days of pre-sentence jail time, having that served satisfies this court that the the joint proposal is in the public interest and does not unduly depreciate the seriousness of these offenses,” said Steiner. “The assaultive offenses in particular. Mr. Bettis, there is never a point where frustration with a relationship justifies becoming violent. The point I want to address is the significant danger of having firearms in these high stress situations, conflict type situations, it takes only instant to snuff out a life. By virtue of these felony convictions, it is against the law, it is illegal for you to ever put your hands on a firearm again. I expect that you are going to heed that legal restriction in the future.
Judge Steiner accepted the pleas, found Bettis guilty, and withheld sentence, placing him on probation: 24 months for misdemeanors and 36 months for the felonies. Conditions of probation include:
- Undergoing AODA (alcohol and other drug abuse) and domestic abuse assessments
- Not committing any additional crimes
- Completing any programming deemed appropriate by the Department of Community Corrections
- Prohibition on possessing or consuming unprescribed controlled substances, with required compliance with substance testing
- Payment of a DNA surcharge in each case
- Bettis received credit for 28 days of pre-sentence jail time.
Steiner reminded Bettis that the withheld jail sentence can be imposed at any time if conditions or probation are not met.
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