Stabbing incident leads to arrests

March 16, 2021

UPDATED at 3 p.m. on March 16, 2021:

The suspect was wanted since 2015 in Brown County for failing to appear in court there to answer a felony charge of second degree recklessly endangering safety.

He has been on the run for over five years, and has several known aliases. He is a citizen of Nicaragua.

This story will appear with some new information in the Thursday, March 18, print edition of The Brillion News, and will be updated on-line after Cruz and the other suspect have been formally charged.

The Brillion News

The following press release was issued to The Brillion News:

On 03/15/21, the Calumet County Sheriff’s Office received a request from a concerned party to check the welfare of a male who was possibly in danger at a residence in the Village of Hilbert. Calumet County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the residence and spoke with a male who denied there were any issues going on at the residence. After deputies continued questioning the first male they encountered, a second male came from the basement area of the residence and asked the deputies for help. The second male had blood on his pants leg and indicated he had suffered a stab wound to his leg.

The male victim was transported to ThedaCare Regional Medical Center-Neenah and treated for a knife wound. The victim’s wounds are not believed to be life threatening.

Upon further questioning, deputies learned that the male victim was from Columbia County. Wisconsin, and had been communicating with the suspect online. The victim stated he believed he was speaking with a female and he agreed to meet the female at a farm in a rural area. When the victim arrived at the farm, his vehicle was approached by the suspects who the victim thought were police officers. The victim was then taken at gunpoint into the suspects’ vehicle where he was eventually stabbed. The suspects then drove the victim to a residence in the Village of Hilbert where he was held until deputies arrived.

A 30 year old male, Juan Pablo Cruz, was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant through Brown County and is being held at the Calumet County Jail. On Tuesday 3/16/21 a second suspect was taken into custody in the Town of Brillion.

{Photo on Juan Pablo Cruz from Brown County Jail booking records of 2015 >> ]

Charges will be referred to the Calumet County District Attorney’s Office later today for Reckless Endangering Safety, Kidnapping, Robbery, and Impersonating a Police Officer. The Calumet County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate this incident.

Sheriff Mark Wiegert

Calumet County Sheriff’s Office