Crime

Wausaukee man sentenced to over a century in prison

MARINETTE, WISCONSIN -- A man from Wausaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced Friday to over a century in prison for multiple counts regarding sexual assault of a child.

Clifton Kirkpatrick, 37, was sentenced to 181.5 years in prison and 102 years of extended supervision after being convicted of two counts first degree sexual assault of a child, one count of repeated sexual assault of a child, three counts of incest and one count of exposing a child to harmful materials.

The offenses are said to have occurred between Jan. 1, 2016, and Feb. 28, 2025. The victim in the case was between the ages of five and 14 during the time of the assaults.

Marinette County Circuit Court Judge James Morrison sentenced Kirkpatrick to the maximum available time on all counts.

In imposing the sentence, Morrison reportedly said Kirkpatrick needed the maximum amount of time available in prison to protect the public, to punish the defendant and to send a clear message that sexual assaults of children will be dealt with very seriously.

Also on Friday, District Attorney DeShea Morrow said Kirkpatrick needed a long prison sentence to protect the community from his actions and to let victims know that they are seen and heard, according to a news release.

Morrow further argued that a long prison sentence was warranted, because Kirkpatrick took no responsibility for his crimes against the victim, even though the jury found him guilty on all counts.

Kirkpatrick was convicted after a two-day jury trial in the Marinette County Circuit Court in August.

The Marinette County District Attorney's Office thanked the Marinette County Sheriff's Office and Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin for their assistance with the case.

------

Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.