APPLETON, Wis. – On October 22, 2018, an Outagamie County jury convicted Willie Allison of three counts of human trafficking as a repeat offender; Second-degree reckless injury as a repeat offender; two counts of Delivery of Heroin as a repeat drug offender and Maintaining a Drug trafficking place as a repeat drug offender. As a result of these convictions, Allison faces a potential maximum of 152 years in prison.
“This deeply upsetting case is a reminder that buying sex is not a victimless crime,” said Attorney General Brad Schimel. “State and local law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service professionals worked hard to bring justice to the victims in this case to put this trafficker behind bars. Now the community and these survivors will be safe from this violent criminal.”
“Human trafficking is no longer a “big city” issue; it is happening in Appleton and communities throughout Wisconsin,” said Outagamie District Attorney Melinda Tempelis. “This case illustrates that Outagamie County will not tolerate any form of human trafficking. We have a multi-disciplinary team of professionals committed to identifying, investigating and prosecuting these criminals and have services available to support those who are being victimized.”
This conviction was a joint law enforcement effort by the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Appleton Police Department, Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office, Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit, and the Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office.
On September 10, 2017, Appleton Police were dispatched to a residence where a female had overdosed on heroin. The Appleton Fire Department performed medical treatment on the female and saved her life. Law enforcement officers discovered that Willie Allison provided the female heroin and, when the female lost consciousness, Allison fled the residence.
During the investigation, officers further discovered that Allison had posted photographs of three females on a website, Backpage.com, and advertised that the females would engage in sexual activity in exchange for money. He forced them to commit acts of prostitution to engage in commercial sex acts by controlling their access to heroin and cocaine; by withholding their food; and by assaulting them, both physically and verbally. He told them that if they did not engage in commercial sex acts, they would not receive any heroin or cocaine; would be left without shelter; and would be subjected to physical and verbal attacks. Repeatedly, Allison physically assaulted the victims causing significant bruising to their eyes, faces, heads, and bodies, and in one instance, a broken bone.
Even after the female overdosed in his residence on September 10, 2017, Allison continued to sell heroin. He was arrested on October 12, 2017 after delivering one half gram of heroin to a police informant. At the time of his arrest, he had $1,017.22 in currency in his pants pocket.
Wisconsin DOJ Assistant Attorney General Peter Hahn and Outagamie County Assistant District Attorney Alex Duros prosecuted the case.
