A couple of weeks ago, I was trying to figure out why we have had so many truly bizarre criminal cases coming from Sheboygan over the last year or so?  My personal theory was that officials in Arkansas must have closed down some trailer park for being a public nuisance - and all the denizens subsequently moved to Sheboygan to keep the party going. 

     For anyone who thought I was being too harsh, check out the latest two criminal cases from Sheboygan.

     45 year old Jamie Arens is looking at four years in prison for allegedly biting her 14 year old daughter.  That's right.  Biting her 14 year old daughter.

     According to police, on Mothers Day Sunday, Arens was drunk (!) and screaming at her boyfriend when her 14 year old daughter tried tro restrain her.  Mom reacted by biting the girl on the shoulder.  When the police showed up, Arens began kicking at them and told one officer that he "should die".

     What a great moment for the Sheboygan Chamber of Commerce.  Happy Mothers Day to a great role model and a real class act.

     The other case from Sheboygan involves a guy named Marc Franco.

     According to the criminal complaint filed against him, Franco hit his 11 year old daughter three times will a belt after receiving a phone call from her school stating that she had been disruptive and was not doing her homework.  Franco allegedly pulled the girl out of bed, took her into the living room and beat her with his belt while her uncle watched.  The beating left three large bruises.

     In general, I try to give parents the benefit of the doubt when it comes to imposing discipline on their children.  At the same time, this guy allegedly beat her hard enough to leave marks.

     Beyond this though, this is not Franco's first contact with the criminal justice system.

     In July of 1998, Franco was charged with battery.  These charges were dismissed after Franco entered into a deferred prosecution agreement.

     In March of 2000, Franco was convicted of battery and placed on probation.   In June of 2001, Franco was convicted of disorderly conduct and intimidating a victim.  He was sentenced to serve 90 days in the local jail on the intimidation charge and (again) placed on probation for the disorderly conduct. 

     At the time Franco was found guilty of disorderly conduct and victim intimidation, felony charges of 3rd Degree Sexual Assault and Making VIsual Representations of Nudity were dismissed on the motion of the prosecution.  The felony charges  (which were dismissed) accused Franco of sexually assaulting a woman and videotaping the act.

      It does not appear that Franco has had any contact with the criminal justice system since 2001.  Nevertheless, his prior record makes it difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to him administering this type of physical discipline to his child.

     Regardless, Sheboygan's criminal rodeo just continues to roll on.