SALEM, Wis. — Michael A. Daniels, a failed farmer with a long trail of legal troubles, was in court Tuesday after allegedly violating a temporary restraining order just hours after being served. Kenosha County Court Commissioner William Michel set bail at $500 cash.

Daniels, 48, of Salem, is charged with violating a temporary restraining order issued May 19. If convicted, he faces up to nine months of imprisonment and a $10,000 fine.

According to police reports, Daniels allegedly made threats to a Kenosha man after being served the court order. A mutual acquaintance told police that Daniels instructed him to pass a message: if the man didn’t drop the restraining order, Daniels would start appearing at places where the man was present to seemingly intimidate him. That same witness also testified in court that Daniels had previously threatened to “beat [the man’s] ass,” have him killed by a motorcycle gang, and “make his body disappear.”

The alleged threats formed the basis of the original restraining order. At a May 27 hearing for a permanent injunction, Daniels refused to answer questions and invoked his Fifth Amendment right. The court granted a four-year restraining order, which Daniels is now appealing. That appeal is ongoing and widely expected to fail.

Daniels’ financial collapse was already underway years ago. In November 2017, he filed for Chapter 12 bankruptcy under Crane Grain Farms, LLC. At the time of filing, he reported over $4 million in liabilities against approximately $3.6 million in assets. The bankruptcy filings revealed negative cash flow, unpaid loans to major lenders, and a reliance on borrowed funds to cover payroll and land rent. Daniels acknowledged in sworn declarations that the farm could not sustain operations without restructuring and protection from creditors.

His legal problems extend far beyond the bankruptcy and current criminal charge. In June 2024, he was hit with a $158,434.44 civil judgment. Just over a year later, on June 9, 2025, another judgment was entered against him for $135,236.20. Court records indicate neither has been paid.

He and his farm operation, Crane Grain Farms, LLC, have lost multiple lawsuits to creditors, been evicted twice, and currently face 19 tax warrants from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. In some cases, Daniels has allegedly been barred from buying farm supplies on credit and must pay cash upfront due to a history of late or missed payments.

In 2023, the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office fined Daniels $2,581 for five separate violations involving the illegal application of pesticides. State investigators found that he and his employees were applying chemicals commercially without proper certification or licenses.

Family court records also suggest a pattern of financial misrepresentation. Daniels’ ex-wife testified earlier this year that he owed thousands in child support and court-ordered payments to her parents. She noted Daniels traveled to Mexico for five days in January while claiming in court that he could not afford to meet his obligations. Daniels acknowledged being behind but blamed poor farm income.

His earliest conviction came in 2004 for disorderly conduct after he was cited for urinating in public. In 2006, he was arrested for attacking a relative during a dispute at a family farm. That victim told deputies Daniels choked him, slammed him against a silo, and punched him in the head before others broke up the fight. Deputies charged him with Domestic Battery and Disorderly Conduct, Domestic Abuse. A witness told authorities that Daniels also kicked the man, who was 22 years his senior. Daniels pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

In 2007, Daniels was cited for trespassing after repeatedly driving heavy farm equipment through a neighbor’s wheat field. A deputy reported that Daniels admitted he was “technically… in the wrong.”

Despite publicly claiming that his farming business is successful, Daniels has admitted under oath in court filings that his farm is struggling and financially unstable.

Daniels is due back in court July 11 for a pretrial conference.