(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — A Kenosha man charged with repeatedly sexually assaulting two of his 11-year-old close relatives is now free—pending trial—after Judge Jason Rossell granted him a signature bond Wednesday, releasing him from custody without requiring a single dollar in cash bail.
(Kenosha Sheriff)
Cory R. Wells, 37, was initially held on $100,000 cash bail following his October 2023 arrest on four felony charges, including first-degree sexual assault of a child under 12 and incest. But that all changed this week, when Judge Rossell abruptly released Wells over the objection of Assistant District Attorney Toni Young, who legal insiders say was simply trying to delay the trial for legitimate reasons.
Wells was released at 5:08 p.m. Wednesday from the Kenosha County Jail.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Young, a respected and experienced prosecutor with a career spanning more than 16 years—including prior service as a defense attorney and judge in Racine County—had asked for a brief adjournment due to issues with discovery. That’s not uncommon in a case involving this level of seriousness, especially when the state is still within the 90-day window required under Wisconsin’s speedy trial rules.
According to state law, once a defendant demands a speedy trial—as Wells did on May 19, 2025—the case must go to trial within 90 days unless the court finds “good cause” for a delay. If that doesn’t happen, the court may release the defendant unless there’s a compelling reason to keep them detained. Legal observers say Rossell has routinely found “good cause” in other cases, but in this instance, he chose not to—and critics believe the reason may be personal.
Multiple legal insiders tell KCE that Rossell has held a well-known grudge against ADA Young dating back to at least 2016. “Judge Rossell’s disdain for her has been an open secret in the courthouse for years,” said one court official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “And now the community has to pay the price.”
The hearing quickly devolved into chaos. Rossell repeatedly interrupted Young as she tried to make a record of her objections. When she persisted, Rossell stormed off the bench, cleared the courtroom, and ordered Young held in contempt. Deputies escorted her out. Despite this dramatic display, no contempt order appears in the official court record.
One longtime Kenosha resident expressed outrage. “If Judge Rossell has personal issues with a prosecutor, he needs to keep them in chambers—not let a man accused of raping two little girls walk free,” the resident told KCE. “This wasn’t justice. This was revenge.”
According to the criminal complaint, Wells is accused of sexually assaulting two of his close relatives—both preteens—on multiple occasions between 2021 and 2023, beginning when at least one of the children was just ten years old. The allegations include digital messages where Wells allegedly told one girl, “Damn I wish you gave head lol,” and “play with my nipples and suck them good,” among other explicit remarks. Forensic interviews and medical testing corroborated some of the children’s claims, including a positive chlamydia test reportedly linked to one of the assaults.
Despite the seriousness of these accusations—which carry potential sentences of up to 60 years per count—Rossell declined to move the trial to another judge’s docket, an option he’s used in other tight scheduling situations. Instead, he allowed Wells to walk free more than two months before the 90-day clock would have run out.
Wells is due back in court for trial unless new motions delay proceedings further. Meanwhile, many in the community are asking why the judge would take such a risk—especially when alternative judicial options were available.
If convicted on all counts, Wells faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison and could spend the rest of his life behind bars. But until then, he’ll remain a free man—thanks to a judge who, critics argue, let his personal animus override public safety.
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39 Responses
Just another clear as day example of Kenosha and their crooked justice. This judge doesn’t want to keep families together but let’s just release a monster back to the streets. How long before he’s back in jail? Not soon enough.
The courthouse needs a major cleaning among the officials
Certainly, a very bad reflection of Judge Rossell’s judgment and behavior. However, six years is too long of a timeframe for the community’s collective memory to remember this incident so to vote him out in 2030. If he is to be removed prior, other administrative methods are required. In the meantime, Judge Rossell has plenty of time to bury this incident with subsequent cases acting as a max-penalty hanging judge like the very successful retired Judge Schroeder, which a winning voting plurality will deeply appreciate.
bad behavior and unprofessional of a judge, do act out in this way, should be held accountable for his action and removed from his Bench, Temper tantrums are not
part of the law system.
…was just re-elected last year 2024 to a 6 year term. !!
Xavier needs to file some kind of a motion for reconsideration or even judicial misconduct against this obvious rogue judge.
And we all need to remember this next time he’s up for reelection. That is if anyone will run against him !!! Until then we suffer
Temper tantrums are a notable characteristic of many judges in our venue. The appropriate way to address this issue is by submitting a written apology letter to Mrs. Young. Alternatively, one may pursue an administrative remedy that could establish a precedent to protect the dignity of court officials
Jodi is the queen of tantrums. Just ask the DAs assigned to her court. She might be worse than baby jj
Jason has the temperament of a petulant child. He covers his inadequacies with pure bravado and bullying. If you disagree, even slightly, his fragile, baby ego can’t take it. He demands respect while giving none. He thinks he is the most important person in the room because his mommy told him he was. He never met a conversation he couldn’t make about himself. He freaks out if women don’t call him Judge – off the bench. When he is not working as a judge. He lets men call him Jason off the bench. His nickname is Boss Baby… and he is simply the worst.
Are you talking about President Trump or this judge?
Stop acting like a child.
Why would I stop acting like a child? The Toddler-in-Chief Is my role model. I act as he acts.
No Kings Day is over, put on your grown up pants now or leave the conversation.
…. why these “Professionals” who have a Doctorate demand to be called and introduced as Dr. so and so in just about any setting ?
I give a fuck who you are when not in the professional setting related to your Doctorate.
Or in this case, judge.
Go fuck yourself Jason !!!!
And while you’re looking in the mirror doing that, do your fucking JOB !!
Anyone who holds grudges where it affects their job performance doesn’t deserve that Job !!
This guy has to be reviewed by the judicial ethics board on his pitiful lack of service to the community and obvious racists intentions on any woman of color that has ever stood before him. Just check his history of ranting and raving about his stupid ass stories that are unrelated to any court or judicial proceedings. But he wastes the taxpayers money with his idea that he is the law, not an officer of the court and does everything he can to try and humiliate those who he dislikes for no reason other than their skin color or the way they may look. Never focused on just what is the reason he sits there.
How long will the bar association choose to ignore his actions and join right in on his views about how to treat people as their own. Where is the judicial court decorum? Where is the whole reason for being an officer of the court other than the people for which it serves. Accountability, and lack of it stands at the judicial board and whether they care or do not care how it reflects on them sitting on the board. It all looks very familiar to what his actions promote doesn’t it.
Thank you for reporting on this clown in a robe who thinks he is above the law.
Scum. Both Boss Baby Jason and the *apist savage.
WOW!!! This makes me hate our court system even more than I already do! The courts are all fucked and politically motivated half the time in this country and our country is all fucked up because of dumbass lawyers who make laws and create massive red tape!!! Fuck our system! Judges should NOT have so much power!!! Look what all of the Obama appointment asshole libtarded dumocrat Judges are doing to try and cock block Trump on EVERYTHING!!! I HAVE NO RESPECT FOR OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND NOBODY CAN TELL ME OUR SYSTEM IS GOOD!!!
Total agree with everything you said common sense…..
He is a very arrogant guy a judge That’s what people tell me over and over again. His wife is also arrogant I hear that from some of the neighbors. If one person tells you is one thing but if you hear it over and over again It may be true. Maybe others no more. My interactions have been. He’s the smartest guy in the room no matter where at the grocery store or in a courtroom.
He’s the smartest guy in the room… as long as he is alone. Dumb as a box of rocks.
I worked in the courthouse for many years. It became home and people working there family. In the last couple of years it has become a strange and toxic place. Though Judges Wagner, Bastianelli and Schroeder had differing personalities and ideologies they worked hard to keep the ship intact. It has been a free falling kite ever since with bruised egos and a diminished commitment to justice. I try to avoid the place as much as possible. Still some good people there but a lot of good people are gone.
Final Thought! What is Being done about this. I would like to see that follow up soon, but we all know that it will not happen.
Judge Rossell actually is a smart judge but one look at the court record raises some questions and answers some as well.
Earlier this year the district attorney’s office asked for the trial to be adjourned. It was moved to June 16. On May 19 defendant demanded a speed trial setting off a 90 day clock for the case to be tried or for him to be released from custody. On June 9 the prosecutor moved for admission of “other acts” evidence which can be a cumbersome motion. Four days later the record shows that the prosecutor also asked for the trial to be adjourned.
One question is why did the prosecutor wait to file this motion? And, having asked for an adjournment earlier this year, why a second request? The judge might legitimately raise some eyebrows over this. He could have denied adjournment. He might have told the prosecutor that he would take the motion for “other acts” evidence under advisement and decide it during the trial, something lawyers may not like as it makes trying the case more difficult. In the end, the judge appears to have bumped the trial, again, though the record is not entirely clear and the new trial date is not known. At this point there was still two months left for a speedy trial to be held. The speedy trial law says that if the judge cannot schedule a trial within the speedy trial limits the judge shall ask that the case be transferred to another judge. Ostensibly there was time for the assigned judge to either hear the case or ask for another judge to take it over. At that point there is nothing in the court record to justify release on a signature bond because of a speedy trial violation. Indeed, there was two months left on that clock. Sounds like cooler heads needed to prevail.
Ya lost me at he is a smart judge. He is a hot-headed, misogynistic baby huey
Technically, you can be smart and all those things, too, can’t you?
Meanwhile, the attorney assigned to this case currently was not I. Position when this case started. Though this was a second requested (and valid) adjournment, it was the first request made by the current Assistant DA handling this case. Why wouldn’t he just make the ruling on the record? Isn’t that just the normal way things are done. What is the procedure to have a judge removed from the bench. It’s obvious that he dones not have the necessary temperament to administer the law fairly and unbiased. If this is how he treats the officers of the courts those on trial in his court do not have a chance. Obviously a DEI hire. #thisisamerica
Remember when Russell was on record trying to figure out with another person who was writing the articles for the county eye when it first came out? He was talking like a school girl. Shame on him for having his power trip and believing he is so important.
Don’t insult school girls. He was talking like the be-yatch he is.
Fuck all of the Kenosha judges. They’re all full of themselves and don’t uphold the law the way they should.
There were eight (8) deputies who did not know how to proceed with ADA Young. It is shameful to have judges acting in such an infamous manner and with such impunity. Attorney Young is an experienced and respected attorney. For the judge, this is yet another person humiliated by his abuse of power; for Ms.Young a compelling reason to resign; and for Mr. Solis the loss of one of his best ADAs. Shame what a shame.
Why did he need 8 deputies to respond? Shameful waste of resources and law enforcement time.
Too bad the chief judge Kerkman won’t do anything.
He’s not the chief judge. He thinks she is, but he certainly is not. I think his title is Deputy Chief Judge which basically means he gets a title to show off
This case has been pending for over 18 months, yet ADA Young waited until the eve of trial to file an other acts motion. That violated the Court’s scheduling order and shows a tremendous lack of preparation. This was the 2nd time she’s requested an adjournment, which is very unusual for the State. The Judge had every right to sanction ADA Young for violating the scheduling order. He also could denied her adjournment request and forced her to try the case, which may have ended up in a not guilty verdict. This all came on the heels of last week’s farce in Judge Rossell’s Court, when another ADA mistried a sexual assault trial TWICE in 2 days. That’s right. The ADA screwed up on Monday so badly that the Judge had to declare a mistrial. He suggested that the State take a second shot on Tuesday and the same ADA messed up again, resulting in a 2nd mistrial in 2 days. Why isn’t DA Solis trying these serious sexual assault cases? Kenosha deserves a DA who can take on the toughest cases.
Ok, Jason. Next time try not to be sooooooo obvious. Oops. Forgot to call you judge. JK. Did it on purpose.
Go. Cry.
Kenosha County’s circuit judges are a rag tag group without much leadership or unity. The last vestiges of the old school are vanishing.
i think the only decent one down there is Michals, he seems to be very levelheaded and to the law and protection of the community,
Judge Jason has a real issue with bad behavior and how to control him self , Jody well she another head case her ways and opinion are not according with the law.
I don’t think you will ever get a fair court experience with these 2 on the Bench.
I worked in Br2 for many years. I ultimately resigned because Judge Rossell became extremely difficult to work with. He would yell, scream, and deny breaks, making the work environment unbearable. After my departure, two other clerks assigned to him chose to accelerate their retirement. The last clerk assigned to Br2 was relieved to be transferred to another branch. Unfortunately, no one seems to care, and no one dares to raise these issues with Human Resources. This would be a worthwhile topic to investigate, as many former court officials would likely be willing to share their negative experiences working with him.