We will go on the record in the matter 25 cm03 25 [clears throat] cm04 25 cm06 25 cm09 state of Wisconsin versus Tammy Blombberg. The state appears through assistant district attorney Holly Rockau in person. Miss Blombberg appears in person with council Nicholas White and she appears in custody. were set today in this matter for a plea hearing. Um, Mr. White, can you please recite the agreement for the record? >> Uh, yes, your honor. Uh, my client will be entering a guilty plea in 25 CM6 to count one. That's misdemeanor bail jumping uh to dismiss and read in the other files. And uh there's a joint sentence recommendation here uh as uh court cost with a DNA uh search charge or uh phrasing as time served. I have a plea questionnaire I can give to you. >> What how what days of credit? >> Uh [snorts] [clears throat] it's it's different for each of the files. Um, it's 3 days on 25 CM3, uh, 5 days on 25 CM4, 3 days on 25 CM6, and then it's been 78 days on 25 CM9. >> So 78 days total she's been in custody. >> The enhancer there and chose to go with a bail jumping. I just read the facts on January 12th incident. I thought that was a little bit more agreeable. >> Okay. >> The the offer was for either of the charges, your honor. >> Either of the bail jumps. >> Yes. >> Okay. If you want to bring up a plea questioner waiver of rights form, >> right? >> And we are in victim's rights compliance. >> We are, your honor. And the victim does wish to provide a statement. >> All right. So, what I'm going to do before I take the plea is I'm going to have the victim come up here to this little black table. >> In many domestic related cases, the victim doesn't want the defendant to rot in jail. They just want the behavior to stop. You can hear the exhaustion in his voice as he asks for rehabilitation rather than just punishment. And the victim victim can state name and if he wishes or just initials, make sure you speak into the microphone and you speak slowly. >> Uh would you like my name or no? >> If you want to give your name, you're you can >> and so forth. I know she's been involved in theft of drugs, never got caught, but um I hope that the court is able to do something to rehabilitate [clears throat] her. I just wish you luck with that. I was never able to succeed. Tammy is a thief and I asked the court [clears throat] to prohibit her from coming into my residence. She can come on site as far as I'm concerned, but um [snorts] I I really don't want her in the house because I'll lose my security. Um, I have moved her possessions out into the barn that's located on the property. She's welcome to come and get her things as she's able to. She's she can pick up her car should she want to. And that's really all I have to say. I I wish you luck in in uh getting her steered on the right track. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> Okay. So, Miss Blombberg, um you've [clears throat] heard understood it. >> Excellent. And that's your signature on the second page? >> Yes, it is. You are pleading guilty to one count of uh misdemeanor bail jumping. Is that correct? >> Yes, it is. >> You are 54 years old. You have 13 years of schooling. You can read, write, you understand the English language. You are not receiving treatment for a mental illness or disorder. And you've not had any drugs, alcohol, or other medications in the last 24 hours. Is that correct? >> That's correct. Did your attorney go over with you what the state would have to prove to prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt? >> Yes. >> Did your attorney go over with you the maximum possible penalties you face? >> Yes. >> Because you're charged with crimes, you are entitled to constitutional rights. And each of those rights is listed on this document. Did your attorney thoroughly go over those rights with you? >> I believe so. Yes, your honor. >> Do you need me to go over these rights with you in any more detail? >> No, I'm Okay. You understand them completely? >> Yes, I do. >> You understand that by pleading guilty, you're waving and giving up those rights? >> Yes. >> Do you understand that if you're not a citizen of the United States, your plea could result in your deportation? >> Yes, I do. >> And do you understand that here in this case 25 CM06, the state would have to prove on or around January 12th, I do your honor. Do you also understand that I do have an agreement in front of me that has been recited on the record? The agreement here calls for a joint recommendation of court costs only and a time served. Um, essentially asking the court to issue a time served jail sentence and to assess. >> Here's the most important legal warning in the room. Even though the lawyers agreed on time served, the judge is explicitly stating she has the power to ignore that deal and hand down a 9-month sentence instead. >> Court costs. Do you understand that I'm not bound to follow that recommendation? I could sentence you to anything that I feel is appropriate based upon the facts of all of these cases, which could mean a maximum possible penalty for up to um the nine months of incarceration. Do you understand that? >> Yes, I do. >> Do you still wish to proceed and enter a guilty plea? >> Yes, I do. >> Did you go over the criminal complaint with your attorney? >> Yes. >> In fact, did you go over all of those with your attorney? And so do you understand the facts that are alleged in the criminal complaint in 25 CM06 >> that the bail jumping >> the bail jumping? >> Yes, I do. >> And for the most part for the January 12th, 2025th bail jumping charge, are those facts accurate? >> Yes, your honor. >> Are you telling me here today that you in fact has your attorney represented you competently? >> Yes, ma'am. Has he answered all of your questions? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Has he looked at these matters thoroughly? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Has he discussed with you the possibility of defenses or a lack of defenses you have? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Are you satisfied with his services? >> Yes, sir. >> Any questions for this court or for your attorney before I proceed? >> Um, no questions, your honor. No. >> As to 25 CM06, count one, a misdemeanor bail jump and a misdemeanor. How do you wish to plead? >> Guilty, your honor. The court will find your plea of guilt is done knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily. I'm going to find you understand your constitutional rights and what it means to wave and give up those rights. I'm going to find a factual basis to accept your plea of guilt. Based on that, I will find you guilty of a misdemeanor bail jump. Um, the remaining open cases will be dismissed and read in for purposes of sentencing. A judgment of conviction will be entered today. Argument and sentencing recommendation is Rakau. Thank you, your honor. I'd ask the court to adopt the joint recommendation. Um, Miss Blberg has no prior criminal convictions. As far as I can tell, this is her first criminal conviction. Um, at I think 54 years old. Um, certainly based on the facts, she's got a substance abuse issue. She's had a a pretty lengthy period of confinement um for a misdemeanor. um unable to post bail, you know, can continue with her sobriety. I hope that she seeks some resources within the community. Um but I think that the the relationship with the victim um is what led to her criminal behavior. Um for whatever reason um she continued to um drink and she continued to have contact with the victim um which led to new charges. um the victim and the defendant are no longer together. Um and so I I think that um there's that level of um assurance to the victim that um she'll stay away. Hopefully she'll get her belongings and move forward. Um so I'd ask the court to adopt the joint recommendation. Thank you. >> Thank you. U Mr. White. >> Thank you, Judge. uh [clears throat] ask you to go along with our agreement today as we recited. Uh my client uh is a high school graduate. I believe she attended some college afterwards. Um she hasn't had a problem in the past with crime or alcoholism uh at least in a legal situ. >> This is Tammy's right of alocution. It's her chance to show the judge she's a person, not just a case file. her focus on hating the disease is a common defense strategy to separate the person from the criminal actuation. Uh I think that the amount of time that she's been in custody uh it's it's close to 3 months in total uh the first couple of uh uh days that she spent in jail uh in December and early January. uh that information uh at least from uh one source uh where where they can uh uh give her um some options. Uh she she follows through with that. Uh looks like um part of a religious organization. So uh I'm hoping that she follows through with that. Uh and that the amount of time that she's been in custody here uh is enough of a sentence. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. Miss Blumbberg, is there anything that you would like to tell me? Anything you would like to say in this matter? >> Yes, your honor. I would like to apologize first of all for um for my drinking. Um [clears throat] I really hate this disease and and that's what it is. But I the first few weeks that I was back and forth between jail and home, um I really it it was always in the forefront of my mind to get out and get something to drink. It was just an absolute obsession to do it. And it took um two or three solid weeks of absolute sobriety in jail um for that to start to go away. and I no longer go to sleep thinking about that like I did in January. Um I am more than grateful for the time that I did spend in Bernett County Jail, which I never thought I would say, but it has truly turned out didn't take long before I was drinking again at home. Um but I I know that falling away from my uh my faith was a big part of that. I really do believe that God got a hold of me in jail again. And I think he does that with a lot of people. And I hope to continue um reading my Bible and praying. And I have a wonderful support system in my family um here in in Bernett County. Um still close with my children and grandchildren and parents and aunts and uncles and cousins and um all of whom are also devout. and I can uh I'm going to look for a Bible study. I have a church family. I plan on returning to that. I I know that what um my husband said earlier is true. I have stolen things from from that house and I uh did that while in the midst of alcoholism. Certainly, not that like you said earlier to someone else, it's not an excuse, but I I do believe that I don't act like that when I am sober. Um, [clears throat] and I would like to remain sober. Um, this has been very much a wake-up call. Uh, [clears throat] and the consequences continue to get worse as they always will with with um addiction and I I need to stop it. I'd like to be alive for my family, for my kids, my grandkids, and I but I think away from due to um any of the disorders um either with alcohol or substance abuse that a person may have. Um I'm going to tell you this isn't the first time I've heard your speech, your story. I hear it all. >> The judge is pivoting here. She's essentially saying, "I believe you're sincere, but I don't trust the addiction." This is the setup for the judge to deviate from the plea deal to add more oversight >> all the time. All the time. And I believe you. I do. I believe that after 78 days of custody and however it's been in straight length custody after those many days I do believe that you are a different person. You are a completely different person than you were on January 14th when you were last arrested. I truly believe that um you have had that time to have the alcohol get out of your system completely. Um and so that is a that is a very good thing. Um and you are thinking very clearly at this moment. The issue that comes into play is a very real one. You suffer from alcoholism, from an from a substance abuse disorder. You do. And it's not something that 78 days is going to cure. >> It's not something that you can just say, "I found faith again and I'm cured." You went to 14 months of teen challenge, Minnesota adult and teen challenge. >> That is how serious are these cases? Then I have to look at you and your history. And then I have to look at needing to protect the public. Those are the main factors that I have to look at. When I first look here, your first arrest was on December 26, 2024. You were put on bond with those conditions, absolute sobriety, all of those things. Then you were arrested again on December 28th, 2024. Same conditions, no alcohol, absolute sobriety, all of those things. Then you were arrested again on January 12th, 2025. same conditions, absolute sobriety, all of those things. Then you were arrested again on January 14th. Same conditions, absolute sobriety, all of those things. But at that time, then it got to the point where you couldn't post the cash to bail yourself out. I stopped asking >> and maybe people stopped paying >> because you needed some time to sit and reflect and get sober because it doesn't seem like with this pattern from December 26 to January 14 that you yourself was going to be a person who would go, "Okay, well, I'm going to be need the help of a lot of people and the community. And I also have to look at not only um that there was the pattern here of being on bond and violating bond and being on bond and violating bond. I have to look at needing to protect the community. And here we have a victim who is your husband who you've admitted to taking things, selling things. So you can get alcohol and doing those things when you're under the influence of alcohol. You may not have been convicted of any other crimes, but it doesn't mean that crimes didn't occur. >> And you're you just said, "Uh-huh." Yes. So I need to make sure that you're going to be protected, the community is going to be protected, and cost alone isn't going to do that. By ordering a mental health assessment alongside the iota, the judge is looking for the why behind the drinking. These conditions are standard, but the no liquor stores or casinos rule is the most difficult for addicts to follow. >> It's not going to make sure that that the community is being protected and it's not going to help you. It's not going to boost you in the direction that you need to go. And quite honestly, it's not going to have the oversight that I need to have of you because if you on December 26th, then December 28th, then January 12th, then January 14th, you had court oversight with bond, that wasn't enough. [clears throat] >> So, I think probation oversight is necessary. >> Okay. >> Act to take control of your life because I want to see that. What I'm going to do is I'm only going to assess $500 in fines and fees and sir charges. The remaining cash will be refunded uh to whoever posted it for you. >> Okay. >> Um because I'm not going to penalize friends and family or whoever >> Yes. >> bailed you out those other times. >> Um absolute sobriety when you're on probation. No use or possession of any alcohol. No bars, taverns, liquor stores, or casinos. Um, any programming that your Department of Corrections agent determines necessary. An AODA, that's alcohol and other drug assessment and follow through. I'm also going to say a [clears throat] mental health therapy assessment. There's got to be something that >> you're holding back, or you're pushing down. There's just ha there has to be something that either you don't want to admit to, you don't want to bring up, or you just don't want to face and deal with. I don't know what that is. Maybe you do or maybe you don't and you I don't know if you're able to I don't know if you've had negative volatile con conduct uh with each other but until I'm I hear otherwise then uh I don't want to make it too difficult during your divorce process I want you to be able to try and work things out amicably >> if you can. Again 20 days to appeal. Should you fail to appeal within 20 days, you lose that right. I'm ordering your DNA. You're going to need to provide that to the jail. Y >> you have the ability to request it be expuned through a written letter to the Department of Justice. Um I'm going to give you the full 78 days of jail credit. You've said it. You deserve it. So if you're revoked, >> you've said it, you deserve it. Okay. Um, what am I missing, Miss Rocco? I think she had more than 78 days total. What was the total number? >> Oh, 78 for one. So, 78 uh is I think it's 88 total. So, 88 total. >> That sounds right. >> So, 88 days of jail credit you'll have total. What else, Miss Roco? Everything else.