Man who used dogs as pawns in abuse case sent to jail

A 61-year-old Town of Fredonia man accused of using his estranged girlfriend’s dogs as pawns in a domestic abuse incident by refusing to return them, then threatening in a flurry of text messages to turn them loose, was sentenced to two years behind bars during a recent hearing in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.

One of those dogs was later found dead on a road near Karl C. Bloecher’s home. It appeared to have been hit by a car.

Bloecher, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 23 to sending a computer message threatening to injure or harm a person, disorderly conduct and unauthorized release of an animal in connection with an incident in December 2024, was also sentenced by Judge Adam Gerol to two years of extended supervision. 

Bloecher is considered a repeat domestic abuse offender because he was convicted of a domestic abuse offense involving the same woman in January 2023.

According to a criminal complaint, an Ozaukee County sheriff’s deputy was called to Bloecher’s home on Highway H by a woman just after 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20.

The woman, who told the deputy she had been in a relationship with Bloecher and was living with him on and off for the past few months while her home was being renovated, said that when she tried to retrieve her belongings from the house earlier in the evening, Bloecher threw them in the front yard, then slapped and pushed her to the ground, the complaint states.

The woman, who according to the deputy was emotional and appeared to be scared, said she asked Bloecher to let her take her dogs, but he refused.

The woman then went to a work Christmas party, and while she was there, Bloecher sent her a series of threatening and harassing text messages and showed up at the event and accused her of sleeping with other men, the complaint states.

The woman said Bloecher had been drinking and was not taking his medications.

At 7:45 p.m., the woman received a call from a person informing her that one of her dogs was found dead on the road, apparently hit by a vehicle.

The deputy reviewed the 98 texts Bloecher sent the woman and found several sent within a 12-minute period relating to her dogs that, according to the complaint, included: “Your dogs are going.” “Your dogs are gone.” “Find them .... I thinking they got loose.” “I’m not responsible.”

Other text messages Bloecher sent the woman read, “Lol. I can put your sorry ass down. You are worthless,” and “Life is short .... Don’t mess with me,” the complaint states.

Bloecher also told the woman that he could “track” anyone and said he had a lot of her personal information, including information about her bank accounts and family members as well as her Social Security number, according to the complaint.

In May 2023, the woman told a deputy who was called to her Town of Fredonia home that Bloecher, who had been living with her, was drunk and had repeatedly threatened to kill her.

She said Bloecher began threatening her as they were driving home from Walmart in Saukville, and when she told him he had to move out of her home, he refused.

After the woman parked her car in her driveway, she said, Bloecher put her in a bear hug and would not let her get out of the car. She said she was able to get away by scratching Bloecher, and when he tried forcing his way into her home, she called 911, according to the complaint filed in that case.

Bloecher was not at the home when the deputy arrived, but he was found a short time later by a Saukville police officer. 

Bloecher, who was previously convicted of domestic abuse bail jumping and disorderly conduct in Milwaukee County Circuit Court, was charged with false imprisonment and disorderly conduct as a domestic abuse repeat offender, although the false imprisonment charge was dismissed. 

Bloecher pleaded no contest to the disorderly conduct charge in January 2024. Ozaukee County Circuit Judge Paul Malloy sentenced him to 18 months in prison and six months of extended supervision but stayed the sentence and placed him on probation for two years. 

Bloecher had been held in the county jail in lieu of $15,000 bail since his arrest for the December 2024 incident.