Advertisement
Patrick Dank, 32, of 1411 Weston St., will begin serving his time after he finishes the 2 years and 32 days he received in Vernon County Circuit Court in April. He faces even more time when he is sentenced next week in Vernon County Circuit Court for delivery of marijuana.
La Crosse County Circuit Judge Ramona Gonzalez called Dank “a danger to society and egocentric” and said the case “screams for the maximum sentence.”
In 2003, La Crosse County Circuit Judge John Perlich placed Dank on five years probation for possession of improvised explosives, after state and local investigators found a pipe bomb and other bomb making materials in Dank’s garage while investigating him for suspected drug dealing.
Also in 2003, Dank was sentenced to 18 months in prison and seven years of extended supervision for dealing cocaine in Vernon County.
Late last year, Dank was arrested in Vernon County for delivery of marijuana. He has since pleaded guilty to that charge and is set to be sentenced July 10 by Crawford County Circuit Judge Michael Kirchman.
Early this year, Dank’s extended supervision and probation were revoked.
During Thursday’s hearing, Dank’s attorney, John Matousek, explained that as a convicted felon, Dank had trouble finding a good paying job and he made the mistake of selling drugs to support his expectant wife and young children.
Gonzalez said Dank offended “all of the hard working people of La Crosse County” who work multiple jobs to survive when he said he had to sell drugs to make ends meet. She also said Dank is no different than his father, Lyle, who has served three prison terms and now faces federal drug charges, and brother, James, who is in prison on arson charges.
Dank apologized for his actions and said he let his wife and young children down. He also said he hopes the sentence will help him “get the message” that he needs to change his life.
Before being escorted out of court so he could return to prison, a still-shackled Dank was given a few moments to hold his infant son.
Dan Springer can be reached at (608) 791-8269 or at dspringer@lacrossetribune.com.
