Editor’s note: This article may contain disturbing content not suitable for children and/or those who are survivors of sexual or domestic violence. Please take care when reading.

UPDATE:  The sentencing for Wyatt Blomberg has been rescheduled to 2 p.m. Feb. 17, 2026, according to Pierce County Victim Witness Coordinator Sue Burr. 

The change was made due to a jury trial taking place on that date.

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A 21-year-old Ellsworth man who has faced multiple charges of child sexual assault and was acquitted in one jury trial has pleaded guilty to one felony child sex assault charge and will be sentenced next month.

Wyatt Blomberg pleaded guilty to felony second degree sexual assault of child (lifetime supervision of serious sex offenders, repeater) Nov. 5. Felony repeated sexual assault of same child (at least three violations of first or second degree sexual assault, lifetime supervision of serious sex offenders, repeater), felony use a computer to facilitate a child sex crime (lifetime supervision of serious sex offenders, repeater) and felony bail jumping charges were dismissed. In a separate case, felony battery by prisoners (repeater), felony substantial battery – intend bodily harm (repeater) and felony bail jumping (repeater) charges were also dismissed. A sentencing hearing will take place at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 22, 2026. Blomberg remains free on $2,500 cash bond until his sentencing.

According to the complaint:

Ellsworth police received a sexual assault complaint on Feb. 7, 2024 from a female juvenile’s parents after they found Blomberg hiding under the covers of their daughter’s bed on Feb. 6. They learned the pair had been having sex in their home up to three times a week for a few months.

The mother said she woke up on Feb. 6 and noticed the service door to the garage was unlocked and partially open. She thought that was odd since she makes sure all doors are shut and locked each night. This was the fifth time in the last three weeks that she noticed the door unlocked.

She went into her daughter’s room around 6:30 a.m. to say good morning. She asked her daughter who had been coming in to the house and she finally admitted it was Blomberg. The mother went back into her daughter’s room and found Blomberg hiding under the covers.

The teen later told police Blomberg and she had sex on multiple occasions and that he took the condoms home with him. They communicated via Snapchat, which can save or delete messages upon viewing. A forensic analysis of his phone showed he had sent her photos of his genitalia. Police also uncovered text conversations between Blomberg and his parents in which he told them about the relationship after being questioned about his whereabouts. One text from Blomberg’s mother said, “OMG!!! This is horrible she is 15!!!! WTF?!”

A neighbor’s camera showed Blomberg’s car parked in front of the teen’s house at different times of the day and night, including on a day she was supposed to be home sick from school. She said she’d met Blomberg at his graduation party the summer of 2023. She saw him again at his dad’s house on Christmas Day 2023. No adults were in the house and when her friends went outside to get something, Blomberg kissed her. He later kissed her in the backseat of a car while she was getting a ride home.

Blomberg went to the girl’s house multiple times over the next few weeks and sneaked into the house. They usually set an alarm for 2 a.m. but fell asleep the morning her mother discovered him there. The teen told investigators she felt manipulated by Blomberg, who gave her gifts and money. 

During these incidents, Blomberg was out on bond in Pierce County with conditions of not committing any crimes.

Prior cases

Blomberg was arrested Feb. 29, 2024 by Ellsworth police for a probation violation after a fight broke out in the Pierce County Jail between Blomberg and another inmate. After they’d been separated and put on lock down, their injuries were evaluated. Blomberg had an abrasion on his knee that was leaking clear fluid. The other inmate had a red dot to the left of the iris in his right eye, a headache and a neck ache. He also had swelling in his left cheek and said he’d lost consciousness during the fight. EMS evaluated him and transported him to Western Wisconsin Health in Baldwin.

Blomberg didn’t have significant injuries nor did he request to be evaluated. The district attorney added the charges onto his other charges, but as stated above, those charges were dismissed.

In a previous sexual assault case against Blomberg, five juveniles (middle school age and older) reported being sexually assaulted by Blomberg and/or forced to have intercourse with him without their consent in incidents ranging from Spring 2019 to June 4, 2021. The alleged incidents were reported to have taken place on school grounds, in private homes or vehicles. Those charges were filed March 29, 2022.

On Dec. 7, 2022, the court granted a motion to sever charges. District Attorney Halle Hatch explained that the defense attorney filed a motion to “sever” the charges, or in other words to separate the charges so that all of the sexual assaults could not be tried in one trial to the same jury. The court granted the request to sever, which means that all the different victims’ cases had to be tried independently of each other.

Blomberg pleaded no contest and was convicted of three fourth degree sexual assault charges May 8, 2023 in Pierce County Circuit Court. It was stipulated that he register as a sex offender for the next 15 years. At that time, he was sentenced to two years of probation, which was in force when he was arrested Feb. 9, 2024 in relation to the new sexual assault charges. Felony second degree sexual assault, exposing genitals/pubic area/intimate parts – child act as actor/close age of actor and child and sexual contact with child age 15/actor under 19 charges were dismissed. Also on May 8, 2023, Blomberg posted a $10,000 signature bond on the remaining felony third degree sexual assault and felony second degree sexual assault charges with the requirement that he commit no new crimes.

At a jury trial in December 2023, the hung jury said they were deadlocked on the two remaining felony sexual assault charges after five hours of deliberation, so a mistrial was declared and the bond remained in place.

“Some of the charges were dismissed as part of the agreement; three of the sexual assaults were pled guilty to by the defendant – three counts of fourth degree sexual assault. Yes, charges were amended to reach a resolution on some of the charges to take into account information learned from the first trial. The original prosecutor on the case was Joseph Schieffer. He no longer works in our office, so I took the case over after the mistrial to retry the case,” Hatch said. “The last trial resulted in a hung jury, so the jury could not come to a unanimous decision. Thus, the court granted a mistrial. That still allows us to proceed with the case and we tried the case again. Mistrials are discouraging. Trials are often traumatic in many ways and repeating a trial can inflict additional trauma.”

As Hatch prepared for the new trial related to the first set of charges (that had been separated due to severing), the Department of Corrections decided to revoke Blomberg’s probation on June 7, 2024, at which time he was placed in Pierce County Jail.

In July 2025, a jury found Blomberg not guilty of felony second degree sexual assault/use of force. Hatch said she was surprised by the not guilty verdict.

“Sexual assault cases are always challenging to prosecute. Many members of the public have different pre-formed ideas or beliefs about sexual assault and sexual assault victims when they present to serve as jurors,” Hatch said. “It can be incredibly difficult to identify and address long held misconceptions while staying within the bounds of the rules and procedures of the court.”

One of the young women, now an adult, who filed a sexual assault complaint against Blomberg agreed to speak to the Journal under the condition of anonymity. She believes the jury’s verdict was an injustice, not just for her, but for all the young women and girls whose lives Blomberg impacted.

“The court process is dehumanizing and cruel. To put it any other way would be an understatement. For the last four years of my life, I have been trying to find justice, trying to protect other girls, trying to stand up for the 14-year-old girl that I was …” she said “I have been trying to find peace. When the verdict was read, my heart ached in a way that cannot be described.”

The young woman described her relationship with the courts as complicated.

“For my first jury trial and its proceedings, I did not feel very supported at all. As a survivor, the court views you as just another case, not a person, not a child. I was referred to as ‘victim 2’ or my initials in the courtroom. I can see how, as an attorney, it's easy to get wrapped up in the logistics of it all and just focus on ‘getting the job done,’ but this sort of treatment made me feel like just a number to them,” she said. “There was little room for emotions. I was told many times that ultimately all decisions were not my own. Whether or not to offer a plea deal, to drop the case, or change the charges were all decisions that could be made without my consent, although I could offer my input. It was distressing that everything was out of my control.

“That changed when District Attorney Halle Hatch, took over my case and made me feel much more seen. She understood that to me this was more than just another case and I was much more than just a number to her. She and Sue Burr allowed room for emotions and the work that they put into my trial was deeply felt. I am very thankful for everything that they did for me at the DA's office. Officer Darren Foss was the lead investigating officer on my case and from day one he was very supportive. He facilitated my initial statement as well as testified at both jury trials. He helped the very scared 16-year-old version of myself feel safe while telling my story for the first time. I am thankful for everything that he has done for me.”

Hatch said in any sexual assault case, survivors can have a wide array of emotions and reactions and this case was no different.

“Generally speaking, I think it is difficult for victims to come forward with these types of cases. The dynamics of disclosing a sexual assault are very complicated. Because it is such a personal topic and a personal decision of whether or when to report, I respect any decision that a victim makes for what is best for them,” she said.

The young woman said she found the strength to speak up through other girls who were braver than she was.

“If telling my story could save even one person, it was enough to make me swallow my own fear and speak up,” she said. “To any survivor reading this: I know the case was lost in court, but that doesn’t mean we’ve lost. The truth doesn’t disappear just because a jury didn’t see it. What happened still matters. You still matter. I believe you. I stand with you. And I hope you never forget that you’re not alone. Not in your pain, and not in your strength.”

The Journal reached out to Blomberg’s attorney in July for comment after the acquittal but received no response.