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Chippewa Falls man to be released from mental health commitment

Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, WI) - 7/1/2016

July 01--CHIPPEWA FALLS -- A Chippewa Falls man who was ordered last August to serve a 30-year mental health commitment to the state's Department of Health Services has won a petition to be released back into the community.

Corey R. Fugere, 25, formerly of 308 W. Wisconsin St., was convicted of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old girl in summer 2008 and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2009.

Fugere pleaded guilty in Chippewa County Court in August to first-degree sexual assault of a child, but not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. At that hearing, Judge Roderick Cameron signed the order for a commitment, sending Fugere to the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison. Fugere was not given any sentence credit for jail time already served.

However, Cameron on Wednesday granted a conditional release but required that Fugere "find a suitable group home" to reside. Cameron gave DHS 60 days to work on a plan to place Fugere in the community.

Chippewa County assistant district attorney Wade Newell objected to the early release.

"Every six months, he gets to petition to get out," Newell explained. "I argued he's still a danger. I don't think anything has changed, but I don't get to make that decision."

Newell said if DHS cannot find a suitable group home placement, Fugere would be moved to a jail, rather than stay at Mendota Health Institute. Cameron set a hearing for Aug. 19 for an update on DHS's placement plan.

Under terms of the plea last August, Fugere is not allowed to live alone during the 30-year sentence. However, Newell said the conditional release means that Fugere could eventually be allowed to live alone.

According to the criminal complaint, a girl told authorities in December 2014 that Fugere and a minor held her down and sexually assaulted her.

In the 2009 case, the 14-year-old girl told Chippewa Falls police that Fugere had sex with her in March 2009 at a residence at 520 N. High St., when she was 14 and Fugere was 18.

Contact: 715-723-0303, chris.vetter@ecpc.com

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(c)2016 the Leader-Telegram (Eau Claire, Wis.)

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