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James Trentin, 58, of Prairie du Chien was initially accused of performing oral sex on four male inmates in exchange for items and special favors. On Monday, 22 counts of second-degree sexual assault were dropped in exchange for his plea to the three felony counts in Crawford County Circuit Court.
Vernon County District Attorney Tim Gaskell, who was a special prosecutor in the case, said it was a difficult decision to drop the sex charges, but said he feared convincing a jury would be difficult because other inmates claimed the alleged victims made up their stories to frame Trentin.
Gaskell said he feels he let the victims down but also said he is satisfied the convictions ensure Trentin will never again work in law enforcement.
Trentin — who entered an Alford plea, which allows him to maintain his innocence while admitting the state has enough evidence to get a conviction — still insists he was wrongly charged, said Trentin’s attorney, Craig Day.
“Jim contended from the beginning and to the end that the sexual conduct charges were false and he is pleased to be vindicated of those. That was goal number one,” said Day, who called the case “a nightmare and a daily torment” for Trentin and his family.
In court Monday, Circuit Judge Robert P. VanDeHey ordered Trentin to pay a $500 fine per count and court costs.
Gaskell, who agreed with the sentence recommendation before going into court, said it was fair.
While the evidence would have shown that Trentin provided the inmates with chewing tobacco, Gaskell said there was no reason to place Trentin on probation or sentence him to a jail or prison term.
“The loss of employment, forever being barred from those opportunities again in the future and simply having to go through what he went through — rightfully so — the public embarrassment, were punishment enough,” Gaskell said.
