Posted at 4:30 p.m. on November 6, 2017
The Brillion News
CHILTON – The former owner/publisher of The Chilton Times Journal and SCENE Magazine surrendered to the Calumet County Sheriff’s Department and then made an initial appearance before Judge Jeffrey Froehlich on Monday afternoon, facing nine criminal charges.
James H. Moran, 54, of Neenah, was released on a $25,000 signature bond. He claimed indigency and asked to be represented by the office of the State Public Defender. Judge Froehlich ordered Moran to surrender his passport to the court.
District Attorney Nathan Haberman argued for cash bond and said the charges reflect a series of criminal events over several years, and said they involved fraud and untruthfulness.
Calumet County District Attorney Nathan Haberman laid eight felony charges and one misdemeanor charge against Moran, who said he now works as a salesman for Gannett, the Virginia- based publisher of the Appleton, Green Bay and Manitowoc daily newspapers.
The charges, filed on November 2, include seven felony counts of issuing worthless checks, one felony count of theft in a business setting, and one count of misdemeanor issuance of worthless checks. The charges could mean up to 28¾ years behind bard upon conviction.
The criminal investigation in the case was conducted by the Chilton Police Department. The complaint alleges that Moran cheated employees out of their pay and took money from advertisers without providing any advertising.
The state Department of Revenue also holds delinquent tax warrants against Moran for over $26,000. Moran said he has declared bankruptcy and lives with a woman in Neenah.
Moran is due back in court on December 14.
A complete report detailing the charges will appear in the November 9 print edition of THE BRILLION NEWS.
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