Wisconsin Minimum Prison Sentences Increased

Governor Scott Walker’s pen might be running out of ink soon. Walker recently signed a total of 49 bills into law. These bills covered a wide range of topics from threatening judges to moving some parts of driver’s education online. Two topics that drew considerable attention were changes made to gun possession and “upskirt” photo penalties.

Gun Possession

This bill doesn’t deal with all gun possessions, just possession by a convicted felon. The new law increases the minimum prison sentences for anyone with a former felony conviction found to be possessing a gun.

The new minimum sentence will now be three years. An additional five year sentence will be tacked on if the felon was using the gun to commit a violent act, bringing the total sentence to eight years.

Tom Barnet, the Mayor of Milwaukee, praised the new law, hoping it would discourage felons from getting guns and get re-offenders off the streets.

Upskirt

Using any sort of a camera or phone to take a photo under anyone’s clothes without their permission will now be considered a felony in Wisconsin. The crime will carry a penalty of up to 3 ½ years in jail and $10,000 in fines.

In former instances, some people caught taking upskirt photos were charged with disorderly conduct instead of a felony.

These new laws will undoubtedly create a tougher fight for anyone charged of these crimes. However, no matter what happens to Wisconsin minimum prison sentences, the Racine criminal defense lawyers at Huppertz & Powers will be ready to defend their clients with skill and tenacity.