EAU CLAIRE — A Stanley man pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and incest charges, with court records showing he claims “mental disease or defect” as a defense.
Dary Johnson, 54, was charged in May 2024, along with three other people. Authorities say the victim in the case was serially abused by the four over the course of multiple years.
In April, Johnson missed his original arraignment in the case. His attorney told the court he got confused about the date it was scheduled, and the court accepted the explanation.
Johnson faces charges along with Richard Stelzer, Robert Stelzer and Ryan Stelzer. The case against Johnson paused last summer after an examiner found him incompetent to proceed, a finding both sides accepted. The court ordered him into the custody of the Wisconsin Department of Human Services for treatment, after which he was found to have regained competency.
The criminal complaint indicates the woman told authorities she was abused from the age of 6 until she was 17. The abuser and specific acts varied over the years, but the abuse was more or less continual.
The charges Johnson faces are a Class B and Class C felony, respectively. Together they carry the potential for a century behind bars because Class B felonies can result in 60 years in prison and Class C felonies are capped at 40 years. Wisconsin law does not allow for fines for Class B felonies, but a Class C felony can bring $100,000 in fines.
Johnson returns to court May 28.