(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Today a court commissioner reduced the cash bail for a Waukegan man that was charged earlier in the week with sexually assaulting a student at Indian Trail High School. Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner William Michel reduced 59-year-old Michael B. Russell’s cash bail from $20,000 to just $5,000.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Alexandra “Alex” Smathers argued that the $20,000 bail should remain unchanged. One of the three victims in this case also asked the court to keep the bail set at $20,000.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Defense attorney Brian Dimmer said that the $20,000 bail was “unreasonable”. He was also upset that the DA’s office and court issued a warrant for Mr. Russell’s arrest. Dimmer thought that his client should have had the right to turn himself in. He also cited the fact that Mr. Russell had been married for 25 years to support his case for a lower bail.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Surprisingly, even with the seriousness of the charges, Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner William Michel reduced the bail by 75% to $5,000 cash. This comes on the heels of a judicial race in which Michel, who is also a candidate for Judge, argues that he will “always prioritize keeping our community safe,” be “tough on crime” and the “law and order” choice for judge. Family members of one of the victims today expressed their dissatisfaction of the significant reduction in bail.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Russell was taken into custody today by the Sheriff’s Department on his arrest warrant. He was booked into the jail after court and was released into the community just after 9pm Thursday evening.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
On June 6, 2023, The Kenosha County District Attorney’s office declined to prosecute Michael B. Russell after several young high school girls complained of inappropriate touching. The incidents were first reported to the school by the students on February 24, 2023. KUSD refused to notify the Kenosha Police Department, but KPD learned of the allegations from DCFS. KCE blasted KUSD and the Kenosha County DA’s office in an op-ed published on June 25, 2023.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
According to Kenosha District Attorney Michael Graveley, “conversations are always ongoing about whether any additional avenues can be pursued. In this case, those explorations resulted in more info.”
On Wednesday, January 31, 2024, Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner William Michel signed a $20,000 cash arrest warrant for Russell. He was charged with one felony count of Sexual Assault of a Student by School Staff and two misdemeanor counts of Disorderly Conduct. Russell faces six-and-one-half years in the Wisconsin Prison System if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint:
(Graphic Depictions, Sexual In Nature)
On February 24, 2023, “Annie”, who was 17 at the time, went to a teacher with complaints of inappropriate touching from Russell. Annie later told Kenosha Police that she knew Russell for about two years and was made uncomfortable by touching done by Russell. Annie explained that she was a cheerleader and at a basketball game, Russell lightly dragged his hand across her lower back twice. Annie said that at the Winter dance on February 11, 2023, Russell touched her in the collarbone area and “caressed” her bare shoulder near the strap of her dress with his fingers. She said later in the evening he touched her on her leg above her knee several times, again, in a caressing motion. She told Russell that she was having a party after the dance, and Russell asked Annie if “she was 18” so he could join her. Russell also told her to take off his shirt later that evening. Annie told police that all of these interactions made her uncomfortable.
Kenosha Police spoke with another 17-year-old named “Jenny” with similar complaints. Jenny began to notice that Russell would touch her often. If Russell was going by her he would often place his hand on her waist or her hip as he walked past. After this happened for a little while she began to move out of his path to avoid him touching her. One time in the fall of 2022 Russell touched her breast. Jenny was in the technology office talking to Russell when he extended his hand out and touched the middle of her chest on her breast, and lightly dragged his finger across her body to the side of her chest. She described him doing this at “medium” speed with no obvious purpose, like swatting off a bug or swiping debris off her. She said he used the back of his fingers and didn’t say anything or acknowledge it happened.
Another IT specialist at Indian Trail High School who shared an office with Russell shared some information with police. He brought up the name of another student, Kathy, who turned 18 in February of 2023, brought up the name of another student, Kathy. He advised that around the middle part of the Fall Semester of 2022, when Kathy was 17, Kathy would frequently assist with menial tasks. Russell described her has having a “TA like” role. This prompted a warning from Principal Mr. Kennow to Russell and the other IT specialist about how under no circumstances were they allowed to have a TA. There was a discussion between Russell and Kathy about the issue, and there seemed to be an agreement. Shortly after that, Kathy sustained an injury and was unable to participate in gym class, so she would spend her gym period in the technology office with Russell. The other IT specialist stated that he did warn Russell about spending too much time in the office with her. This prompted a second warning from Principal Kennow regarding the technology department not having a TA. At this point, Kathy would no longer stay in the office for long periods of time, but would occasionally stop by and say hello, like a fair number of other students. Kathy was interviewed during the initial investigation, but denied any inappropriate contact or communication with Russell. Russell was ultimately put on leave from the school.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Russell was fired in June of 2023 by the Kenosha Unified School District. Kenosha Police Detectives briefed Kenosha Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Smathers about the two allegations of sexual assault. Smathers, who is being sued for defamation, declined to issue charges and told police to close the case. No charges were filed. Russell lawyered up and hired criminal defense attorney Brian Dimmer. Russell refused to answer questions from the police during the investigation.
KCE spoke to parents of some of the Kenosha-area alleged victims and were told they plan to sue the district for negligence. KUSD spokesperson Tanya Ruder asked KCE to not “paint the district and/or district staff in a negative light” in June of 2023. We politely refused. We then ran our op-ed telling our readers how the DA’s Office and KUSD failed our community.
According to the criminal complaint (continued):
(Graphic Depictions, Sexual In Nature)
Kenosha Police reopened the investigation on September 1, 2023 after Kathy and her mother came to the Kenosha Police Lobby to report inappropriate sexual contact by Russell while Kathy was still 17. Kathy stated the inappropriate behavior occurred during school hours at the high school. The Kenosha Police Officer who first spoke to Kathy noted that Kathy was emotional and crying as she made her report, often needing to take breaks. Kathy told police that they had a normal friendship, but during her senior year, “it got weird.” Russell began to contact Kathy on her cell phone.
Kathy stated that things progressed when she was helping Russell put the computers in the carts and clean them. She would push the carts into a room where they were stored and it was in this room that Russell would ask her “inappropriate things.” Russell would close both doors to the room, ask her inappropriate questions, and start touching her. Russell would tell her that it was okay and there was nothing to be scared of. He would also tell her that it was okay because he and his wife had an open relationship.
Russell would ask if he could do sexual things to her. He would hug and squeeze her really tight, and not let go. He would ask what the difference was between Kathy’s boyfriend and Russell, and then tell Kathy that he has better experience than her boyfriend. Russell would ask her when she was going to come visit him. On multiple occasions, Russell would ask her to have sex with him in that closet where the computers were stored. He would ask her in different ways.
Russell would also touch her on her buttock. He would lift up her skirt and touch her butt. One time, he tried to pull her pants down. Kathy said, “What are you doing?” to him repeatedly, but Russell just replied “Don’t worry.” Kathy told him that she did not want to do that. Russell also, on one occasion, put his hand down inside of her pants and tried to put his hand “in there,” referred to her vagina.
As for the messages, Kathy stated that Russell would text her inappropriate things, including asking her to have sex. On one occasion, Russell sent her fully nude photographs of himself and asked, how “it looked.” Around February 27, 2023, Russell told her to delete every Facebook Messenger message between the two of them because he was on the way to the principal’s office. Kathy responded that she did not understand what that had to do with her, to which Russell replied, “just in case.” Russell again asked her to delete everything and that it “had to be gone” so it was like they were not friends. Kathy also got sent to the principal’s office and asked about a relationship with Russell. Kathy said she told the principal no, because Russell told her that everything they were doing was perfectly okay.
Kathy confirmed that Russell gave her a birthday gift in the form of $100 and a ring light for her cell phone. He did this by asking Kathy to drive around the back of ITHSA on either February 11 or 12, 2023. When she did, Russell opened her back door and put the present in her car. When she went to drive away, Russell reached his hand in her car and tried to lift up her skirt.
Kathy later met with a sensitive crimes detective who she told that she did not make any disclosures about her and Russell during the original investigation because Russell always told her that what they were doing was okay. Kathy believed Russell because he was a staff member and because she always confided in him when she had issues. Kathy stated that now she is out of school (having graduated), she understands what Russell did to her was wrong.
Kathy allowed the detective to download her phone. In reviewing the forensic download, he observed numerous Facebook Messenger messages between Kathy and Russell, dating back to March of 2023. These messages are time stamped and occur during the school day and at night. There are also numerous audio calls that occur after school and at night. In the messages starting March 14, 2023, Russell and Kathy discuss the internal investigation at Indian Trail High School. Russell tells Kathy about the meetings he is having with ITHSA staff and his attorney, and how things are “not good.” Kathy tells Russell which students she knows they are interviewing and tells him to “stay strong.”
On March 16, 2023, at 8:08PM, Russell writes, “I’m telling you…they trying to get your phone records.” Kathy responds, “They aren’t gonna pull them. My momma won’t let them.”
On March 17, 2023, Kathy tells Russell that her mom is going to call Principal Kennow. Russell writes, “I’m just worried that’s he’s gonna say something that makes her turn on me/us…”
On March 20, 2023, at 9:38AM, Russell writes, “I will always be near…even if not in the school…” “Besides…you will be leaving soon…so we gotta figure out what’s next.”
On March 21, 2023, Russell asks Kathy for a picture of herself, which she sends. She is clothed, but is exposing her sports bra. On March 21, 2023, at 7:02PM, Russell writes, “They are probably gonna fire me… Cause I lied about talking to you…they said you knew every thing about my meeting times and everything…you put all this in your statement…” Kathy denies putting anything in her statement regarding Russell’s meetings, and they agree to talk after school.
In reviewing the text messages, the detectives observed a number of text messages from Russell which were concerning and sexual in nature. Russell asks Kathy questions about her relationship with her boyfriend and Kathy describes some of the sexual experiences she has had.
On August 30, 2023, Russell texts, “Hot??? Girl…I would fuck your without break for 4-5 hours!! Every position-eat you out 2-3 times cum at least 3 times!” Russell asks if her boyfriend was her first and then asks if she would “want bigger.” He then writes, “It’s cool…I just hope I’m around when the day comes when you want more…” Russell asks Kathy if she still sleeps naked and to send him a video of her in bed. Kathy does. Russell then says that he “loved” her old videos and that he “misses them terribly.” He asks if she was going to make more videos for him.
Civil Suit In Illinois
A child in Illinois, who is a former member of Mt. Sinai Church in North Chicago, says that Russell groomed her and had sexual intercourse with her over a multi-year span when she was only in 8th grade according to Illinois court documents. The lawsuit was settled just three months ago, days before a jury trial was scheduled to proceed. The young girl’s attorney, Jeff Deutschman wouldn’t give any details of the settlement Thursday evening.
Russell is/was a trustee at the church. The church has another couple of familiar faces – Tamarra Coleman and her husband, Michael are leaders in the church. Michael is an associate minister at Mt. Sinai. In the court documents, it is alleged that the relationship between Russell and the little girl was common knowledge at the church. Tamarra, who was the president of the Kenosha Unified School Board and is the current executive director of the Shalom Center, seemed to deny even knowing Russell. KCE later learned that not only does she know him, but he is her brother-in-law. Russell is married to her sister.
After being confronted with this news, she still denied knowledge of the alleged sexual assaults, but admitted she knew her brother-in-law, but told KCE “knowing someone and knowing their personal business is very different…And sir, the behavior of people I may or may not know do not define me, nor my character!” She wouldn’t tell us why she misled us initially and said she was calling her lawyer. Tamarra reportedly helped her brother-in-law Russell obtain a job at the Kenosha Unified School District in September of 2013.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The Kenosha Unified School district was notified of the allegations about the sexual assaults at the Illinois church in 2021. According to law enforcement records, the HR department kept an eye on Russell and told him not to allow any students to be in his Internet Technology room alone with him. A fellow employee of the High School, however, said that the district wouldn’t enforce this rule, and allowed Russell to have students alone in his room anyway. Russell assigned several girls to be his Teacher’s Assistants (TA’s) even though he didn’t have authority to do this. School staff also didn’t cooperate with the law enforcement investigation in Kenosha. They wouldn’t answer detectives’ questions. Superintendent, Jeff Weiss (D), wouldn’t tell us why he is so weak on sexual assault and harassment allegations in the district.
Russell is currently in the custody of the Kenosha County Sheriff and will likely be released soon because of the low cash bail. He is due back in court on February 15, 2024.
40 Responses
The is now officially a degenerate country.
Dumbass libtarded dumocratic system!!! 🤪🤪🤪
She’s Wisconsin pretty
$5000? You are allowing this man to post bond when he has already shown that he’s a threat to the community. I want him to try to run, but more importantly, I want those young ladies to fight. 4 girls, teachers, and staff smh this should be a slam dunk
That’s Commissioner Billy in action. This guy wants to be Judge. Picture that!
I’m glad he reduced the bail, it will be a reminder in time for the election that he shouldn’t be elected to dog catcher, much less a judge. Likewise the idiot defendant to actually has someone listen to him when he says being married for years is a good reason to let a pet out run around your city. Everybody has to sleep somewhere, I guess as long as you are married it doesn’t have to be jail?
WTF does being married for 25 years have to do with this pedophile preying on young (UNDER AGE) girls? This is truly sickening!
Michel thanks for protecting young girls, NOT!!!
He is working on downers after his nervous breakdown.
25 years with an “open marriage”? Yeah that will keep him around.Nice argument asshat!
Is Allen M. Dunski, Jr back from vaca yet?
KUSD knowingly hired a predator. Parents and caretakers are sending their most precious kids to school in the trusting hands of KUSD and they KNOWINGLY HIRED A PREDATOR! WTF!
the only answer is to pull the children out of the public schools
That’s one answer, but not the only answer. Another answer is to find ways to incarcerate school officials who knowingly breach public trust. At the rated spiraling in this little corner of the state, the only Justice soon will be from people who just picked up their law degrees from the implement section of farm & fleet.
I wonder how many votes Michel will get now that this has been brought to light? 🙄
Commissioner Michel always seems to appear very discombobulated. I am not impressed with him at all.
There’s much more to bring to light. The KCE eventually will.
One less Libtard that gets my Vote.. What? Another soft on crime sympathetic to BLM garbage liberal, and the Kenosha judicial system.. we have way too many..
No justice from Bill Michel as he has turned into a Spineless Liberal Wash Rag.
So you reward a pedophile? We have NO justice anymore. Since when does the court punish the victim and make it easy on the pedophile? Answer: when you live in a DumocRATic run state! Shameful. Absolutely shameful
**Dumbocrat run state
KUSD wouldn’t let police to interview the Indian trail basketball team when Jeff Spencer incident happened.
Police chief had to call superintendent and tell her to let the police do their job!!!!!
KUSD hired Jeff Spencer a child sex abuser after he told them he broke the rules at his old school.
Gravely needs to be hit in the head with a sledgehammer before he’ll do something that doesn’t fit the liberal agenda.
This is an open and shut case. This man should stay in jail forever. He’s an obsessed serial predator, all while having unlimited access to these female victims.
Mr. Michel, you lost my vote.
KUSD , you should be ashamed of yourselves,
but you’re not , are you ? I thought it was all about the kids. No , it’s about The Agenda.
I’m disappointed in the cash bond but I’m so proud of the girls that came forward and told their stories! Remember he still has a criminal court case in Illinois so he will have to do jail time there and now this will end up with another jail sentence. He will finally be registered as a sexual offender.
Was leaning to vote for Michel. Now, not so sure: he authorizes 20k arrest warrant and lowers it by 75% within a few days? DA Gravely why give this case to the ADA that closed it prematurely and is already in a hot seat for another case?
DA’s office needs leadership
Judicial choices??
Mayorial candidates leave alot to desire
School Board . . .
Hope everyone votes the 19th with stories like this at the forefront of your vote. We need strong, proven leadership!!!
I question how the wife of 25 years “open relationship” could stand beside him…
The community and the evidence is proving that Michael is a serial predator.
4 young ladies have come forward and lets think about the young ladies who might of been to scared to speak up.
This is not a man who happens to have just so happens to have affairs!!
Tameeca Russell YOUR HUSBAND posted on Facebook “he can face any life challenges with you” Does this include hurting lives and children.??
59 years old and preying on middle and high school children is sick. How can you stick beside someone who this evil? Is it because you know what he is? Are you aware of the young ladies and if you do you should also be held responsible.
I feel for his wife, but if she knew and did not walk away, she has enabled evil. Tameeca, leave him. It is not Christian to cover up evil. I will pray for you!
Make public executions great again
Make sure this did never ever gets voted in again.
Make sure this dude that reduced bail never ever gets voted in again.
I heard that this guy was supposed to be transferred to a different school a while back but he didn’t want to go. The transfer was then thwarted by the former superintendent because of her relationship with Tamarra Coleman and the pedophile. I wonder why he didn’t want to go?
At least he was smart enough to hire one of the best in the business. Although my choice would have been Natalie Wisco.
The purpose of bail is to ensure that people show up at their next hearing. Any judge that sets a bail amount higher than the accused’ means to pay it has done a bad job. If the belief is that the defendant is a risk to the community, bail should not be granted at all.
It is unfortunate that so many people see bail as a way to keep people incarcerated before even being proven guilty. It’s a terrible practice, and preferably it will be abolished in WI as it was in Illinois.
It’s only a terrible practice for pedo enabling libs.
You have a fundamental ignorance of the law. In Wisconsin a commissioner or judge MUST issue bail.
This guy will never step foot in Wisonsin ever again.
He’s probably good buddies with Clyde, too.
I know him and his family…NOT SURPRISED AT ALL
DEI on full display.
I am thankful I do not have children in ANY public school.
I pray the family didn’t know about what he was doing to the young girls. This really hurts my heart because I can’t imagine someone knowing and not doing anything to help the young girls. It’s very clear he is guilty of these charges and I just hope he spends along time in jail for his crimes against these young girls. They deserve justice and the world does not need future victims.