Oct. 7, 2025
SPARTA, Wis. – On Oct 3 a Monroe County jury convicted 52-year-old Jacob T. Sell of fifteen charges related to harassing law enforcement entities locally and across the country. The convictions, which followed a two-day jury trial, included four counts of Telephone Harassment and eleven counts of misdemeanor bail Jumping.
The charges originated from Sell making incessant and repeated calls to the Monroe County Communications Dispatch Center and the Village of Cashton Police Departments. During these calls, Sell utilized a wide range of obscene, profane, and generally abusive language toward dispatchers and other law enforcement personnel. Compounding the harassment, Sell would routinely conference in law enforcement entities from other states, including the Danbury, Connecticut Police, Sacramento County, California Sheriff’s Office, Park City, Utah Police, Pewaukee, Wisconsin Dispatch, and Columbia County, Wisconsin Dispatch.
Monroe County District Attorney Kevin D. Croninger announced the verdict and stated that Sell faces a maximum sentence of 111 months in jail. Sentencing for Sell is likely to occur in December 2025. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Village of Cashton Police Department conducted the investigation.
Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger praised the dispatchers involved in the case.
“Mr. Sell claims to be a ‘police auditor,’ this claim could not be any further from the truth,” Croninger stated. “In reality, Mr. Sell is nothing more than a criminal. We are extremely grateful to the jury on this matter for seeing the truth about Mr. Sell and convicting him”.
Croninger added, “All the dispatchers in this case displayed exemplary professionalism. Mr. Sell repeatedly demeaned, berated, and insulted them, despite Mr. Sell’s despicable behavior, the dispatchers remained extremely professional. We are grateful for the work they did on this case and the work they do every day to assist in keeping Monroe County safe”.
Vernon County History of Charges
The convictions in Monroe County follow a history of altercations Sell has had with law enforcement in Vernon County.
In September 2024, Sell went to trial on several charges stemming from La Farge Police attempting to enforce a village ordinance concerning unregistered vehicles on city streets, which resulted in police ticketing and impounding an RV owned by Sell. Charges were also filed after Sell allegedly created a disturbance in the public lobby of the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office while retrieving belongings from the impounded vehicle, making it difficult for dispatchers to perform their duties.
During the two,day Vernon County trial, Sell represented himself and faced the following charges:
- Bail jumping , found not guilty by jury.
- Possession of drug paraphernalia , dismissed by prosecutor.
- Possession of THC , found not guilty by jury.
- Disorderly conduct , found not guilty by jury.
- Two counts of criminal damage to property , found guilty by jury.
The jury found Sell guilty of two counts of criminal damage to property for damage caused to his cell after he was taken into custody, which included plugging drains, flooding the area, and destroying a mattress. Sell successfully argued that the disturbance in the Sheriff’s Office lobby was protected under his right to free speech and did not impede the office’s work, leading to a not guilty verdict on that disorderly conduct charge.
Harassment of Vernon County Sheriff’s Office
Sell was again arrested in December 2024 for what the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office described as a “barrage” of harassing, intimidating, and profane telephone calls to the Communications Center over several days. This incident culminated when Sell came to the Sheriff’s Office, disrupting operations during a winter storm. As a result of this incident, Sell was booked for unlawful use of telephone, disorderly conduct, and harassment. He was later released on a $1,000 signature bond with specific conditions that prohibited contact with the La Farge Police Chief and the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office (including Dispatch and Corrections), unless in an emergency.
Involuntary Cleanup and Forced Abatement of Sell’s Property in La Farge
Much of the conflict with law enforcement in Vernon County can be traced to the dispute Sell had over the cleanup of his property in La Farge. In Jan. of this year the involuntary cleanup, or forced abatement, of Jacob Sell’s property in La Farge culminated a decade,long dispute between the property owner, Village Officials, and Police. The property, located at 121 South State Street, had been the subject of numerous complaints since approximately 2013 concerning violations of long,standing village ordinances.
After multiple failed attempts to resolve the issues directly with Sell, the Village, supported by the village attorney, initiated legal proceedings, resulting in a court order for abatement. The property was formally designated a chronic nuisance pursuant to village ordinance 11-7.
The cleanup operation, which took place on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, was announced via social media by the La Farge Police Department, noting an “increased presence of law enforcement from multiple agencies” in the area. The court order commanded the removal of items stored outdoors, including trash, refuse, debris, used or secondhand material, and other items. Specifically, the cleanup conducted by River Valley Junk and Demo included removing lumber, glass, and various types of secondhand materials.
Law enforcement agencies providing security support for the operation included the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office, Westby Police Department, Cashton Police Department, Ontario Police Department, and the Kickapoo Valley Reserve,Police Department. According to La Farge Police Chief Steven Palmer, the issues with the Sell property dated back over a decade, predating his 2022 hiring, and efforts to resolve the matters often resulted in confrontation. The action was presented by the La Farge Police Department as a significant step in restoring the community’s beauty and sending a message to property owners unwilling to correct ordinance violations.
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