By Shereen Siewert
The lone suspect in a shooting that left one man critically injured at a Wausau-area tavern will spend decades in prison, after his sentencing Thursday on attempted homicide charges.
In October, Sergio Retana, Jr., of Weston, was also convicted of first degree recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm as a felon. The charges were filed four days after an early morning shooting at Kelly Club that happened in May 2019.
Attempted homicide is charged out only when a suspect intends to commit a homicide and tries to carry out the homicide but, for some reason, fails to finish the crime.
Retana, who at one point entered a not guilty by reason of insanity, has a long criminal history in Iowa that includes convictions for theft, making false licenses, escape, and other charges. He had an open warrant for his arrest in Iowa at the time of his arrest in Wisconsin, court records show.
Police were called at about 12:30 a.m. May 12, 2019 to Kelly Club, 4810 Ross Ave., for a report of gunshots fired. Witnesses say Retana and the victim in the shooting were involved in an altercation that escalated into gunfire. Patrons at the bar wrestled Retana to the ground and disarmed him, then held him until officers could arrive.
The victim was rushed to Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where he underwent surgery for life-threatening injuries. He ultimately survived.
During an hour-long hearing Thursday, Circuit Judge LaMont Jacobson sentenced Retana to 30 years initial confinement in prison, followed by 10 years of extended supervision following his release. He is entitled to 893 days of credit for time served while awaiting trial.
The matter of restitution to the victim has not yet been resolved.
