While the county pursued ….

While the county pursued administrative punishment against Bowers for violating policy ultimately deciding on a demotion and suspension in November 2017, the Wisconsin Attorney General’s office filed two felony counts for misconduct in office. If convicted Bowers faces prison time and steep fines.

A key part of the case has been the county accessing Bowers’ DropBox, online file storage account without a search warrant. The account was set up using Bowers’ sheriff’s department email address, but he pays the monthly fee to maintain the account.

Under the direction of Daniels, the county’s information technology director accessed the account by requesting a new password for it through Bowers’ email account. A major issue in the case has focused on the county not getting a search warrant before accessing what Bowers says is a private account.

Assistant Attorney General Annie Jay who is prosecuting the case for the state has argued that the county’s Information Technology policies which all employees receive states there is no expectation of privacy on using the county’s computers or devices.

Earlier this fall, Bowers through his civil attorneys R. Rick Resch and John H. Bradley of Strang Bradley law firm in Madison filed a federal civil rights lawsuit in the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin against Daniels, I.T. Director Melissa Seavers and Taylor County.

A three-day jury trial on the criminal charges against Bowers had been scheduled to take place in October, however it was taken off the calendar after concerns about the ability to hold jury trials due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. No date has been set for when the trial will take place.