Another sex offender to be released in Whitehall

Just nine days after one registered sex offender is released in Whitehall, another will join the community.

The Whitehall Police Department announced earlier this week that Franklin Klein will be released on March 18. Klein was sentenced to serve six years in state prison after pleading no contest to child enticement-sexual contact on Dec. 10, 2018. His prison sentence began March 12, 2019. He also pleaded guilty to exposing a child to harmful materials.

His release to Whitehall comes nine days after the release of Glen Hollister, who has served 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting a child. Like Hollister, Klein will be under the supervision of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections. He has specific rules of extended supervision which include electronic monitoring, no contact with victims, no unsupervised contact with minors, not to enter taverns, not to consume alcohol or drugs and he is not allowed to be at schools, parks, or playgrounds. He is required to register as a sex offender with law enforcement officials.

The release issued by the Whitehall Police Department notes that the department has no legal authority to direct where a sex offender may live. Unless court-ordered restrictions exist, the offender is free to live wherever he chooses. The release also states that Hollister is not wanted by police at this time and that any intimidation or harassment of Hollister by citizens “will not be tolerated.” 

The release issued by the Whitehall PD states: “Such abuse could potentially end law enforcement’s ability to do community notifications. This department believes that the only person who wins if community notification ends is the sex offender since sex offenders derive their power through secrecy.”

It wasn’t until the passage of Act 440, the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Law — which mandates sex offender registration — that even law enforcement knew where they were living. Changes in the law also allow the public to access information over the internet on registered sex offenders.  

The releases of Klein and Hollister will increase the number of sex offenders registered on the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry website to 74. The updated total would include 18 registered six offenders with Whitehall addresses, 13 in Blair; eight in Trempealeau; seven in Osseo; six in Eleva, Galesville, and Independence; four in Strum; three in Arcadia; two in Ettrick and one is listed as homeless.