A $50,000 cash bond for Aaron Behling was reduced during a hearing March 10, but it may not be enough for the suspect in a stalking case to get out of jail.
John Swimmer, representing Behling in Joe Furnstahl’s place, reminded the court Behling has been in jail since Oct. 12. Swimmer said Behling could be able to produce $5,000 in cash and recommended that the bond be reduced to that, claiming the defendant did not have any priors or any failures to appear in court.
“We don’t really believe we need that high bond,” Swimmer said. “Five thousand should suffice.”
That was disputed by Shawano-Menominee County Assistant District Attorney Edward Burke, who noted the $50,000 bond was determined because Behling has committed previous crimes, including a couple in Shawano County. One was resolved with a no-contest plea in 2024 for disorderly conduct with a domestic abuse repeater. The other case, resolved in 2018, resulted in a three-year prison sentence with three years probation for amphetamine possession, burglary, felon in possession of a firearm and taking and driving a vehicle without consent.
Behling also has criminal convictions from other counties.
“The victim was consulted in this case,” Burke said. “She is very frightened of Mr. Behling.”
Behling has been charged with stalking by intercepting an electronic communication, misuse of a GPS device, possession of THC with a repeat offense and possession of methamphetamine with a repeat offense.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim told police she found a tracking device, later identified as a Logistimatics Mobile 200 4g GPS tracker, on her vehicle after having an oil change completed. The mechanic doing the oil change had discovered something unusual near one of the tires and asked to do a tire rotation.
The victim told police she and Behling, 36, had broken up recently and that he had accused her multiple times of cheating on him. Behling allegedly said that was not the case when he was initially interviewed by police.
An Act 79 search, which allows law enforcement to conduct searches without a warrant for people on probation for felony crimes, was executed. Police reportedly found in his basement another Logistimatics GPS tracker, along with five empty syringes, a vape cartridge that tested positive for marijuana and a syringe with white residue that tested positive for meth.
“I don’t know what (Behling) had in mind,” Burke said. “I’m certain that he’s very possessive of this individual.”
According to the complaint, the victim said she and Behling had been in a relationship since September 2022. The pair had a son together, and the victim alleged that the accusations of infidelity began when she was pregnant. Behling was arrested for domestic violence and served one year in prison.
The victim also detailed instances when Behling allegedly parked down the road and watched her workplace. One such incident included when she started a training session in Antigo. Behling allegedly called her and accused her of going to Antigo to meet someone.
Another incident took place in Shawano at a local gas station where Behling allegedly arrived and caused a scene. The victim told officers she had not told Behling she was going to the gas station.
Another incident took place at a Shawano fast-food restaurant where Behling allegedly grabbed the victim’s cell phone and started looking through it, later driving her back to work but not returning the phone.
Other erratic behavior the victim alleged includes when the victim met with her boss to express her concerns about Behling’s controlling tendencies, and he called and demanded she send a photo of her in her office to prove she was at work. Behling also allegedly purchased semen tests to test her underwear.
Behling was initially taken by police to ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano, according to the complaint, because he claimed he’d taken a lot of suboxone and was then transferred to another hospital in Neenah. While at the Neenah hospital, according to the criminal complaint, Behling allegedly called the victim and begged her to drop the charges.
A ThedaCare employee requested Behling be placed in the hospital’s psychiatric unit, according to the complaint, but because of the severity of the charges, police opted to arrest him and bring him back to the jail in Shawano.
Swimmer, in his argument to reduce the bond, said he understood the safety concern, but he feels that 4 1/2 months in the Shawano County Jail has changed him.
Judge William Kussel Jr. agreed to drop the bond to $35,000 cash, but he said dropping it to $5,000 was not wise due to the existing charges.
“The allegations are significant with the stalking,” Kussel said.
During the hearing, Behling also waived the right to a preliminary hearing and asked to proceed to an arraignment.
If convicted, Behling faces up to six years in prison on the stalking charge. However, he was convicted on felony drug charges in Fond du Lac County, so his sentence could get an additional four years.
For the misuse of a GPS device, it could get him another nine months imprisonment. He also faces another 3 1/2 years on each of the drug counts. The drug charges could also add four years to his sentence because of the Fond du Lac County case.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
