MONROE - Three men were charged this week in Green County Circuit Court in connection to an armed burglary of a New Glarus home during which an 800-pound gun safe and more than $150,000 in cash were stolen.
Justin Wayne Wenger, 30, Monticello, and William Johnathan Wilke, 38, Stoughton, face felony charges of armed burglary, theft and possessing a firearm as a felon.
A 24-year-old identified as their driver, Ryan J. Coyle, New Glarus, faces felony charges of burglary and theft.
According to the criminal complaint:
On Sept. 28, Wenger and Wilke entered a home in the 600 block of 14th Avenue through a basement window and through the garage.
They carried off a RedHead firearms safe worth $650. Within the safe were 12 firearms and bundles of cash totaling about $153,000.
Among the stolen guns were a .38 caliber six-shot revolver, a Glock 29 semi-automatic 10mm pistol with night sights, and a 12-gauge Mossberg 500 chainsaw pump-action shotgun. Other items in the safe included brass knuckles, a taser, 3000 rounds of ammo and numerous gun accessories.
Coyle drove around New Glarus awaiting a phone call alerting him that Wenger and Wilke were ready to leave the home. When Wenger got back in the vehicle, he vomited and then told Coyle he would kill him if he ever told anyone about the burglary.
After the burglary, the three men divided the cash. Wenger reportedly took most of the guns and sold them on the street.
In the months before their arrests, the three men had large quantities of stolen cash at their disposal.
Wilke described it as "life-changing" and was spending the money "like no end." Wenger purchased a Ford Mustang and a Pontiac Grand Prix using the stolen cash. Coyle told an informant he was burning $100 bills that had any marking that might link him to the burglary.
The three men targeted the victim's home after Coyle told Wilke about the safe and its contents when they were jailed together in Green County in August 2011.
Coyle's preliminary hearing is scheduled Feb. 19. Wenger and Wilke are due in court for their initial appearance Feb. 18.
Justin Wayne Wenger, 30, Monticello, and William Johnathan Wilke, 38, Stoughton, face felony charges of armed burglary, theft and possessing a firearm as a felon.
A 24-year-old identified as their driver, Ryan J. Coyle, New Glarus, faces felony charges of burglary and theft.
According to the criminal complaint:
On Sept. 28, Wenger and Wilke entered a home in the 600 block of 14th Avenue through a basement window and through the garage.
They carried off a RedHead firearms safe worth $650. Within the safe were 12 firearms and bundles of cash totaling about $153,000.
Among the stolen guns were a .38 caliber six-shot revolver, a Glock 29 semi-automatic 10mm pistol with night sights, and a 12-gauge Mossberg 500 chainsaw pump-action shotgun. Other items in the safe included brass knuckles, a taser, 3000 rounds of ammo and numerous gun accessories.
Coyle drove around New Glarus awaiting a phone call alerting him that Wenger and Wilke were ready to leave the home. When Wenger got back in the vehicle, he vomited and then told Coyle he would kill him if he ever told anyone about the burglary.
After the burglary, the three men divided the cash. Wenger reportedly took most of the guns and sold them on the street.
In the months before their arrests, the three men had large quantities of stolen cash at their disposal.
Wilke described it as "life-changing" and was spending the money "like no end." Wenger purchased a Ford Mustang and a Pontiac Grand Prix using the stolen cash. Coyle told an informant he was burning $100 bills that had any marking that might link him to the burglary.
The three men targeted the victim's home after Coyle told Wilke about the safe and its contents when they were jailed together in Green County in August 2011.
Coyle's preliminary hearing is scheduled Feb. 19. Wenger and Wilke are due in court for their initial appearance Feb. 18.