Career criminal arrested for sixth crime after Kenosha sheriff's officers save his life

A Kenosha man has returned to a place he's used to – prison. Trenton B. Kmiec of Salem was arrested late Friday night after overdosing on an apparent opiate. Kmiec is on probation and bail for a very serious case in Fond Du Lac County.

On Friday night at around 9:43 p.m., Kmiec's girlfriend called 9-1-1 to report that Kmiec had overdosed and was unconscious in his vehicle. His vehicle was parked outside his home in the 9000 block of 238th Avenue in Salem. It's a home he shares with his father, Ted Kmiec, who works as a criminal defense attorney in Kenosha County. The girlfriend then left the scene before police arrived.

Officers arrived at the scene and found Kmiec in a near-death state with agonal breathing. Agonal breathing, also known as agonal respiration or gasping breathing, is a near-death state in which a person gasps and groans for air. Apparently, Kmiec was snorting opiates, as a straw was found that was believed to be drug paraphernalia.

Kenosha Sheriff's officers quickly administered Narcan several times to Kmiec and were able to revive him. He was taken to St. Catherine's Hospital in Kenosha where he was treated. While he was being treated, Kenosha Sheriff's officers called Kmiec's probation officer, who issued a probation warrant. The Kenosha County Sheriff's Department charged Kmiec with possession of drug paraphernalia and bail jumping. Kmiec was released from St. Catherine's Hospital at approximately 10:27 p.m. and taken to the Kenosha County Jail, a location not unfamiliar to Kmiec.

Kenosha County District Attorney Mike Graveley (D), who is friends with Kmiec's father, Ted, will refer this case to a neighboring county, expecting the neighboring district attorney to take it easy with Kmiec, as he has so many times before.

Kmiec is free on bail for a serious incident that occurred on November 24, 2021. Police and prosecutors say Kmiec led multiple police officers and agencies on a 25-minute, 22-mile chase with police while armed and under the influence of drugs. Kmiec refused to stop for police and drove erratically at speeds up to 85 miles per hour. He endangered the lives of many people by skidding in the roadway and narrowly missing innocent bystanders. At one point he ran through stop signs, was rammed by police, spun 360 degrees, but was able to continue to evade. Eventually, Kmiec's car rolled over and crashed in a ditch. Police found a Glock 19 with an extended 30-round magazine in his car. A drug recognition expert determined Kmiec was under the influence of stimulants. Also found in his overturned car were empty bottles of cyclobenzaprine and tramadol. Kmiec also had two buprenorphine patches on his body. Kmiec also had a powdery substance on his nostril. Kmiec was charged with (1) recklessly endangering safety in the second degree, use of a dangerous weapon, (2) fleeing and eluding – property damage, use of a dangerous weapon, (3) aggravated property damage, use of a dangerous weapon, (4) possession of a firearm while intoxicated, and (5) drunk driving (2nd degree). One of the victims told police that Kmiec caused $8,000 in damage to his property. Believe it or not, Judge Tricia Walker, appointed by Governor Evers (D), set Kmiec on no-cash bail. He was released without having to pay a dime. He is expected to take a plea deal in October.

Kmiec was driving while drunk on June 26, 2017. He was later convicted.

Drug possession in Kenosha County

In 2017, Kmiec was involved in a drug-related crime. He was arrested. District Attorney Graveley (D) referred the case to Racine County for “cleanup,” and progressive District Attorney Patricia Hanson did not file charges against Kmiec but allowed him to participate in a drug program.

Drug Possession No. 2 in Kenosha County

On September 2, 2022, according to police and prosecutors, Kmiec was pulled over and had Schedule 2 narcotics in his vehicle. Kmiec attempted to throw the drugs out of his car, but sharp-witted Deputy Tifft reviewed his squad footage and saw Kmiec throw the bag. DA Graveley sent this case to Racine County and DA Patricia Hanson's office is handling it. Although the felony case file was still pending, Kenosha County Court Commissioner Larry Keating granted Kmiec cashless bail and Kmiec was released without having to pay a dime. According to local defense attorneys, Keating is usually reasonable in bail decisions. Kmiec is awaiting trial in this case.

Drug trafficking arrest in Winnebago County

Police and prosecutors say that on February 19, 2023, Kmiec was encountered by police at a bar in violation of his bail conditions. They found 13 plastic bags on him, each containing fentanyl. Police obtained a search warrant for his home. When they arrived, they were met by Kmiec's aforementioned high school girlfriend. They found cutting agents and other items used to make drugs in his bedroom. His underage girlfriend said she did not know he was selling drugs but was “suspicious” of him. She thought he was selling vitamins to people posing as cocaine. Winnebago County prosecutors charged Kmiec with (1) possession with intent to resell, (2) operating a drug trafficking place, and (3) evading bail. They could have charged him with several counts of evading bail, but did not. Believe it or not, a liberal court commissioner named Eric Heywood set Kmiec a zero dollar bail and he was released without paying a dime. He is awaiting trial in the case.

Domestic violence

Kmiec was previously arraigned in court on May 3, 2023. The charges include child abuse – reckless assault, six counts of jumping bail, and intimidation of a victim. According to the indictment, Kmiec's high school-aged girlfriend called the Sheriff's Department just before midnight on May 1, 2023. She was upset and crying when a deputy arrived. She asked the deputy to drive her down the street so she wouldn't talk outside the house. She then told him that she and her boyfriend, Trenton Kmiec, had an argument. She said Kmiec threw her very hard and her head hit something. She had a visible “goose egg” on the right side of her head near her temple. She then tried to call 9-1-1, but Kmiec took the phone away from her, hung up and said, “You're not doing that.” She then begged for her phone back, but Kmiec called her a “whore” and told her to lie down and sleep or go home. He then said he hoped she would get kidnapped.

Domestic Violence #2

According to another criminal complaint, officers responded to the call at Ted and Trenton Kmiec's residence in Salem on May 26, 2023. The caller was one of the girl's friends who heard her and Trenton arguing loudly while he was on the phone with her. He heard her say “ouch.” That friend called police and summoned them to the Kmiecs' residence. Sheriff's officials are very familiar with that home. Officers recently investigated the death of Kmiec's lover. She died in Ted's bed. Officers knocked on the door and Trenton answered the door. He denied that his 17-year-old girlfriend was there and denied ever having had contact with her. Ted also came to the door and claimed he didn't know if she was there either and didn't hear the loud argument. The girl later left the house to speak with officers and Ted apologized, stating he had no knowledge of her presence in the house. Officers arrested Trenton for obstruction of justice for lying to police. Officers decided not to arrest Ted Kmiec. We asked Ted why he knowingly allowed his son to violate the terms of his bail. He did not respond to KCE's request for comment.

Trenton Kmiec's mother, Connie Kmiec, also got off scot-free for allegedly hitting Ted; the incident was captured on video.

The duo most responsible for Kmiec's kind treatment, aside from Graveley himself, are Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson and her deputy, Chris Steenrod, both Democrats. They keep offering Kmiec overly generous plea deals. However, Judge Dougvillo has rejected the most recent plea deal. Deviating from a plea deal is when a judge imposes a sentence that is more severe than the plea deal.

Kmiec is expected to be charged in the next few days or weeks.

Opinion

KCE believes that if Wisconsin prosecutors continue to make light of these crimes, Kmiec himself or someone in the public will die. Their hearts will stop beating. The only place Kmiec can be placed that will keep him and the public safe is jail. Without the heroic actions of Kenosha County Sheriff's deputies, Kmiec would have spent the weekend in the morgue instead of jail. To Mike Graveley, Patricia Hanson, Chris Steenrod and anyone else taking on this case, put him in jail. If you don't, the blood will be on your hands. Enough of the white glove treatment. The public's life is at stake, and so is the life of this young man. I don't want anything to happen to this boy, but sending him back out onto the streets over and over again accomplishes nothing.