For years, the sexual assault of a child in Minocqua went unsolved as a sexual assault kit sat in storage. That kit was finally tested as part of an effort by the state to catch up on a back log of testing.
Now, the Wisconsin Attorney General’s Office says 28-year-old Brandon Darnick of Minocqua has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexual assault of a child under 13. That will be followed by 15 years extended supervision. Darnick was sentenced Thursday in Oneida County Circuit Court. He had been convicted after a jury trial in December of last year. The assault took place in 2013.
“This case shows, once again, how important the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative is and how important it is that we continue working to strengthen Wisconsin’s response to sexual assault,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “Thank you to the many people whose work led to justice.”
The Minocqua Police Department, Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory are among organizations credited with helping with the investigation.
