MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Retired Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Lt. David Remiker was convicted Thursday of improperly accounting for funds from drug forfeiture and other accounts.
Remiker pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of obstruction. He was fined $500 and has already paid $15,521.70 of restitution.
Both Brown County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steuck and defense attorney Brett Kaehne described the crime as one of inaction and disorganization, but with a lack of criminal intent.
Kaehne also noted the restitution payment makes the county whole but is not an admission the money was stolen or used for Remiker’s personal gain but rather a recognition of what was unaccounted for.
Remiker appeared in court by phone. He declined to address the court before the sentence was issued.
Sheriff Daniel Hartwig summarized the charges in a news release:
“The charge stems from an internal audit conducted in February 2024, which revealed that several thousand dollars of asset forfeiture funds were not properly deposited into designated accounts. Following the audit, the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office immediately requested the Wisconsin Department of Justice to investigate,” the sheriff said.
The statute cited does not mention theft, but describes the alleged crime as someone who “intentionally fails or refuses to perform a known mandatory, nondiscretionary, ministerial duty of his office or employment within the time or in the manner required by law.”
The sheriff said the case is isolated to Remiker.
“Sheriff Dan Hartwig extends his gratitude to the Wisconsin Department of Justice and the Brown County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance and professionalism throughout this investigation. This charge reflects solely on the actions of one individual and does not represent the 113 dedicated and hardworking members of the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office,” he added.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began in late January, after Remiker allegedly took a seat cover from an event in Oshkosh. He admitted to it, and was placed on administrative leave.
Remiker was a supervisor with the metro drug unit, leading to a broader investigation of his conduct.
“Sheriff Hartwig also disclosed to Remiker that an audit on the “buy funds” would be conducted because Remiker was responsible for the disbursement of the funds. Remiker told Sheriff Hartwig that he needed to put something back. Sheriff Hartwig denied that request. Upon denial of the request, Sheriff Hartwig indicated that Remiker got down on his hands and knees and begged for us [Sheriff Hartwig] to let him make it right. His request was again denied and he was escorted out of the building. Remiker was provided the official letter regarding his administrative leave. On January 24, 2024, Sheriff Hartwig received a letter from Remiker announcing his last day at MTSO would be on January 31, 2024,” the complaint states.
The investigation determined Remiker would use funds from the drug account for personal use. Five sample cases surveyed “led to $5,735.00 unaccounted for,” the complaint states.
Other funds were reviewed as well, also finding discrepancies in the accounting, dating back to 2017:
- 2017: $5,312 total unaccounted for (Metro State Forfeiture Account had a total of $3,086.20 unaccounted for; State School Fund/Metro Confiscated Money had a total of $2,225.80 unaccounted for).
- 2018: $580 total unaccounted for (Metro State Forfeiture Account: $406.00 unaccounted for; State School Fund/Metro Confiscated Money Account: $174.00 unaccounted for).
- 2019: $1,900 total unaccounted for (Metro State Forfeiture Account: $1330.00 unaccounted for; State School Fund/Metro Confiscated Money Account: $570.00 unaccounted for).
- 2020: $1,500 total unaccounted for (Metro State Forfeiture Account: $1,050.00 unaccounted for; State School Fund/Metro Confiscated Money Account: $450.00 unaccounted for).
- 2021: $4,620.77 total unaccounted for (Metro State Forfeiture Account: $3,234.47 unaccounted for; State School Fund/Metro Confiscated Money Account: $1386.30 unaccounted for). Of note $1,500 associated with 20CV81 was located, but never deposited.
- 2022: $882 total unaccounted for (Metro State Forfeiture Account: $617.40 unaccounted for; State School Fund/Metro Confiscated Money Account: $246.60 [$264.60] unaccounted for).
- 2023: $727 total unaccounted for (Metro State Forfeiture Account: $508.90 unaccounted for; State School Fund/Metro Confiscated Money Account: $218.10 unaccounted for).
When interviewed by investigators, “Remiker indicated the process changed throughout his time and he had a lot of training on the new process, but he felt like it was not enough. Remiker indicated he had to figure it out on his own and had trouble justifying the expenses associated with the seizures, initially. Remiker stated he tried to reach out to people to help him, but he did not have a great understanding of the process. Remiker tried to keep up with process, but did not always do so,” the complaint states.
He denied taking the money.
“Remiker advised SA Walusay that he had never taken money from the accounts or that was supposed to have been deposited into those accounts. He further advised that he was not sure where the money would have gone… Remiker did not offer any explanation for where the unaccounted-for currency could be located, other than it had been deposited in other accounts accidentally. He stated that it had to be somewhere, but was not sure where. When asked specifically where he thought it could have gone if it was still somewhere, Remiker stated he believed that it could have gone to the federal forfeiture account,” according to the complaint.
“Remiker stated that he knew that the discrepancies brought up by SA Walusay had to have been a clerical error – and that the money had to have been stored somewhere. He went on to say that he knew that the issue was brought on by his own actions and the fact that he did not have the appropriate organization skills to make him successful in his duties.”
Remiker was one of the dozens of investigators in the Teresa Halbach homicide case. Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey were convicted for her 2005 death. Remiker was an evidence technician at the time and was present when a bullet with Halbach’s DNA on it was found in a garage on the Avery property.
