Weston man at center of bail controversy convicted of sexual assault, child abuse

Wausau Daily Herald

WAUSAU – A Weston man — who was at the center of a recent controversy about low bail amounts — was convicted Friday morning on charges related to accusations of two sexual assaults and beating up a 15-year-old boy.

Colton J. Bradberry, 19, pleaded no contest to first-degree child sexual assault, sexual intercourse with child 16 or older, physical abuse of a child and two counts of felony bail jumping. Marathon County Circuit Judge LaMont Jacobson dismissed numerous other charges but can consider them at sentencing.

Prosecutors first charged Bradberry in December with sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy. In March, while Bradberry was out on a $2,000 signature bond, he was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in March. He spent a couple of months in jail until June, when he posted a $1,000 cash bail. Then, in July, prosecutors accused Bradberry and a group of young men of beating up a 15-year-old and leaving him in the woods.

People took to social media to express outrage, concern and confusion about what they perceived as the low amounts of cash bail and signature bonds set by judges in Bradberry's cases after he continued to re-offend while out of jail.

Bradberry has been in the Marathon County Jail in lieu of a $2,500 cash bond since the July incident. Jacobson revoked Bradberry's bond Friday and he will remain in the county jail until his sentencing hearing Nov. 27.

Bradberry could be sentenced to up to 77 years and three months in prison.

Contact Natalie Brophy at (715) 216-5452 or nbrophy@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @brophy_natalie or Facebook at facebook.com/bynataliebrophy.