(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
**Editor’s Note – Explicit Material**
A Pleasant Prairie Police dispatcher is back in court today after allegedly jumping bail and committing new crimes. Brian J. Gildenstern was in court today and charged with:
- Felony Stalking
- Felony Bail Jumping
- Felony Bail Jumping
- Felony Bail Jumping
- Domestic Abuse / Disorderly Conduct
- Disorderly Conduct
Gildenstern recently posted $25,000 cash after being charged just two weeks ago with:
- Possession of Child Pornography
- Possession of Child Pornography
- Exposing a Child to Harmful Material
- Exposing a Child to Harmful Material
- Exposing a Child to Harmful Material
(Kenosha Sheriff)
According to the criminal complaint from April 15, 2024:
Gildenstern did some abhorrent things in the last year. Guildenstern allegedly bought at least three dildos for a minor child. He also talked about buying her vibrators and other sex toys. He then spoke to her about her using them.
Gildenstern is also alleged to have taken photos and videos of the minor that prosecutors say amount to child pornography.
(Kenosha Sheriff)
From today’s criminal complaint:
On April 26, 2024 Guildenstern contacted a victim in the first criminal complaint. He was following her in her car and repeatedly talking out the window asking her if he could “come over for ice cream.” She refused and went home. Gildenstern then went to the victim’s house as a doordash driver and disguised his voice as an only lady. The victim thinks he ordered doordash from the victim’s account so he could deliver it.
When the victim opened the door he appeared to be masterbating and talking aggressively and sexually to the victim. She told him to “stop [masterbating].” He stopped and said “sorry.” He finally left.
Gildenstern was contacted by police and admitted to being at the victim’s home, in violation of the bond condicaitons.
Gildenstern is now facing 22 more years on top of the 60 years he already faces.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
In court today, Gildenstern’s attorney David Berman asked for a $5,000 bail and unsuccessfully moved to dismiss count 6.
Kenosha County Prosecutor Alexandra Smathers argued in court today for an additional $75,000 cash in addition to the $20,000 already posted.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner William Michel agreed with the state’s assertion that a high bail is needed and set bail at $50,000.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department requested that Gildenstern be charged with lewd and lascivious behavior in public for the masterbation, but ADA Alex Smathers decided against charing this count.
Reached by KCE Sunday evening, Pleasant Prairie Police Chief David Smetana said he was aware of the new arrest and says that Gildenstern is still an employee of the Village of Pleasant Prairie
Gildenstern is due back in court for both cases on May 9, 2024 at 8:45am for preliminary hearings.
44 Responses
I don’t think he’s taking this seriously.
What a pathetic POS.
Who, Gildenstern or Smetana?
Sounds like both of them are not taking this seriously. Maybe “legally” Smetana can’t fire Gildenstern for some reason. Maybe he actually has to be convicted? I do not know the law on that though.
have to be convicted … “innocent still proven guilty” once convicted – then done. that’s the process….
Just shoot this guy and be done with it.
He is still an employee of the Village of Pleasant Prairie, why? I guess Smetana didn’t take it seriously when he learned of his nickname Gildenstalker. Since he has now been charged with stalking. I guess Top Fat Boy Smetana should have paid a little more attention to this instead of worrying about his image.
I suspect civil service due process delays termination. It is possible that a formal termination hearing could impair the criminal prosecution but a conviction would make termination almost automatic. This is just an educated guess.
Do you understand “due process?” He’s been charged, but not convicted of anything (yet). Unless/until he’s convicted, he’s presumed innocent. Terminating him would be premature.
Well he did make statements against his penal interest. IE, he verbally admitted to violating his bond conditions which are comprised of three felonies. He’ll get his day in court, but the burden of proof to fire somebody is much less than the criminal burden of proof
Wrong! They can terminate him for a simple policy violation. He had been violating policies for years. It was witnessed by coworkers. That’s how he got the name Gildenstalker. Criminal investigations and departmental internal investigations are two separate things. They knew enough to fire him years ago!
We will see how Smetana waffles if he is called in Steinbrink JR. case as police chief he should and could have done something about daddy’s boy.
Waffles? lol. Chief Waffles.
“Pleasant Prairie Police Chief David Smetana said he was aware of the new arrest and says that Gildenstern is still an employee of the Village of Pleasant Prairie”
Mr. Gildenstern, the alleged perp, is indeed lucky to know Chief Smetana has his back.
Wait til Sgt Hard gets a hold on him
Do you think he takes those morning runs with Hard and his brother Kerkman? This is a learned behavior!
He’s waiting for Enwright. They are going to have a hard conversation.
Feel bad for the victims in this case.
David Smetana you are NOT a police chief you enable him to be out, when everyone at Unpleasant Prairie police dept. knew about him!!! Get back inline at the buffet line because you could not pass the police physical to be a officer.
Do we have evidence from PPPD records of when they first learned of this creeps activities? And isn’t the village HR honcho a cop’s wife?
Asst hr director
Who it HR person in question?
No conflict of interest there.
That’s what I was thinking!
That whole village is a conflict of interest!
Kevin, can you request his personnel file?
Already did
How is that ethical? Sounds like the village is still shady AF.
Smetana couldn’t pass the written exam as he has everyone else do his work for him. He can just go to work and eat all day. Got some hard miles on you.
What really sucks is they got the referendum passed that they wanted and now this along with other things in PP. WTF talk about irony.
Was it truly voted in, look at other elections?
This guy obviously has a screw loose. Perhaps a few.
So the chief is supposed to jump the gun and fire this dude without due process, exposing the Village to a lawsuit?
It’s even more complicated. If they proceed now they might use evidence that could compromise the criminal case. If they wait until the criminal case is over and he’s convicted, then those allegations would become proof right off the rail and not much more would be needed to can him. If he Is acquitted then the village could still pursue termination. Not much margin in jumping the gun.
No we wouldn’t want that. Instead of taking care of his duties, Smetana likes to be the food police.
If you donate food to the department, Smetana has a cow as he doesn’t like to have the food lying around, even in the break room. Smetana then gets his food police secretary to take hours of her day dividing up the food, hiding it so it is not offered to the officers when they want it, or giving it away.
Instead of adult officers being able to eat when they are hungry, she rations the food. Nobody is rationing her or Smetana’s food intake.
Here is another example of his leadership skills. Donations are not thought of as a kind gesture with Smetana. Businesses beware.
That is insane. Someone has issues.
Smetana does have issues. He is more concerned with donations of food being dropped off for his officers and getting rid of it than doing his real job.
Smetana is a fat lazy person living off of taxpayer money.
Agreed.
Genius, he’s working on his Insanity defense.
Pedo guy should at least have been suspended without pay pending trial. Pedo activities should never be treated lightly. Protection of kids should never be a secondary concern.
At the very least, the DA’s office must take over the original 25,000 Bond and it must not be returned. Period. I am sick of bond money not meaning squat because people know they can simply ignore the conditions of it yet still have it returned if they suddenly promise to behave. If the DA’s office doesn’t have anything useful to do with the money, fix some potholes with it.
As noted, there may be a good reason not to proceed with terminating this guy from the village payroll but in the interest of transparency why not tell us?
Is he still getting paid?
Gildenstalker actually showed up at another coworker/dispatcher’s wedding UNINVITED! Then he brought a single knife as a gift. No card or anything… just the knife! One more thing that was common knowledge within the department and nothing was done. Isn’t anyone going to mention that he met his wife while on duty there? Another coworker that he probably stalked. Maybe she was chosen, specifically so he could target her kids.
Why is everyone so concerned about this police chief? I get it he’s not worth much but the real concern here should be for his victim(s). There should be more of an outrage about what this man did to a CHILD and definitely more support for his victims. I highly doubt this is his first time doing this to a child. If there’s any other victims out there hopefully they will step up and say something. This man has already ADMITTED what he’s done he’s guilty! Just throw him in and throw away the key! Kevin will you be following and reporting on this case all the way through?