River Falls man gets four years prison for sexual assault

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Being dishonest put Bradley Hetchler further in the hole in Pierce County Circuit Court Tuesday.

The 20-year-old River Falls native was being sentenced for two counts of felony third degree sexual assault and his dishonesty caught the attention of Judge Joseph Boles.

Boles explained before handing down his sentence, when Hetchler pled guilty to the charges in December, he admitted in court he was guilty of those crimes. Then, while reading the pre-sentence investigation which was done afterwards, Boles noticed Hetchler claimed both assaults were consensual.

“I couldn’t find you guilty without believing you were guilty,” Boles said.

Boles then addressed Hetchler’s drug use.

“He recognizes he has an alcohol problem, but he under reports his drug use,” Boles said, noting family members and the agent believe he has a serious drug use.

Those acts, along with the assaults, led Boles to sentence Hetchler to four years prison, along with four years extended supervision upon release.

“A probation sentence would undermine the seriousness of the offenses,” Boles said.

For more please read the Feb. 22 print version of the Herald.

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