MENOMINEE — A plea deal has been reached in the child sex case against former Menominee County Sheriff’s deputy Brian Helfert that likely will allow him to be a free man some day.
Helfert, 61, appeared in court last week. Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Rogg and defense attorney Trenton Stupak of Escanaba, in court, said they had reached a plea agreement.
With the plea deal, Helfert agrees to waive his appellate right on the case that was scheduled for trial next week. In exchange for a no contest plea, the parties agree on the defendant’s sentence and incarcerated penalty in the amended count 1 of attempted criminal sexual conduct. The sentence is five years and will run concurrent to the sentence being served by Helfert.
Stupak, in an exclusive interview with the EagleHerald, said the agreement offers three benefits to Helfert.
“One, it eliminated a life sentence,” he said on Thursday. “Two, the sentence will be concurrent so there will be no further time other than what he is already serving and third, there won’t be future prosecutions.”
Helfert was scheduled to go on trial next week for two felony charges with maximum penalties of life in prison.
“Rogg agreed to dismiss one count if Brian pleaded to an attempted criminal sexual conduct first degree,” Stupak said. “It took the life offense down to a maximum penalty of five years. So we got one charge dismissed. The other charge, a life felony, went to a maximum penalty of five years.”
He said Rogg also agreed that Helfert’s prison time on the conviction would run concurrent with what he is now serving in the Marquette Branch Prison.
“In addition, all the other cases that could have been brought that were known, that were investigated, cannot be prosecuted or re-filed,” Stupak said. “So any of these other cases that Jeff Rogg dismissed are done and over with, according to this plea agreement.”
Stupak noted that while Helfert gave up his right to appeal the conviction on Barglind’s sentence, he still can appeal the penalty.
“If he wins that appeal his sentence will be reduced,” he said. “He didn’t give up all his rights to appeal.”
Stupak said both sides gave up some concessions.
“But Mr. Helfert knowing that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and he will likely be released in his natural life from prison to live the remainder of his life a free man was pretty critical,” he said.
He added that this agreement effectively should end any further charges brought against Helfert.
Rogg did not immediately return a phone call. He told Bay Cities Radio that the agreement will bring finality to the case. He said victims in cases against Helfert told him they didn’t want anything to do with further court proceedings and that was a main reason for settling the case as he did.
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