By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review

A public safety technology specialist with the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division is on unpaid leave after prosecutors filed criminal charges against him this week.

Michael J. Evon, 45, is facing charges of false imprisonment, sending a threatening or obscene computer message and disorderly conduct in a case filed March 11 in Marathon County Circuit Court. Of those, the false imprisonment charge is a felony and carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison.

The charges filed to date are related to allegations that surfaced at a local business where he was employed over the past seven months in loss prevention. According to a criminal complaint, his former supervisor at the store called police on March 9 to report Evon repeatedly made sexual advances to her and eventually blocked her only path out of an office, refusing to let her exit until she kissed him. He eventually did move, the woman told police.

Later, Evon allegedly sent the woman an expletive-filled email after resigning from his position – under fire. Company officials were investigating Evon for allegedly stalking some of his teenage coworkers and for sexual harassment at the time he resigned, the complaint states. He was arrested and taken to the Portage County Jail due to his Marathon County employment status.

Now, Evon is facing an internal investigation at the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department, where he has been employed since November 2018.

Sheriff Chad Billeb, Marathon County Administrator Lance Leonhard and Human Resources Director Molly Adzic issued a joint response via Marathon County Public Information Coordinator Sarah Severson acknowledging the investigation.

“Marathon County handles all reports concerning potential violations of our employment policies with the utmost seriousness,” the statement reads. “In accordance with our policies and procedures, Michael Evon has been placed on administrative leave without pay while an internal investigation is conducted. Due to the nature of our ongoing investigation, no further comment will be provided at this time.”

Evon, who lives in Rothschild, is free on a signature bond. A preliminary hearing is set for May 1.

You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.