By Darryl Enriquez
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
WAUKESHA, Wis. — Former firefighter Charles Stelter, who fought allegations of a murder-for-hire scheme, is seeking about $3,700 in back pay through a lawsuit now in federal court in Milwaukee.
Stelter resigned from the Fire Department in early June, bringing an end to disciplinary hearings regarding accusations that he had an affair with the wife of a Waukesha County jailer while she was his student at Waukesha County Technical College.
Inflaming the case was Fire Chief Allen LaConte’s allegation that Stelter tried to hire a hit man to kill the husband, a story that Stelter and one of his attorneys, John Fuchs, have strongly denied.
Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel refused to consider prosecuting the hit-for-hire case after the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies said the allegation came from a questionable source and advised that the investigation go no further.
Fuchs said the worst Stelter could be accused of was handling the affair poorly.
Partly based on that sentiment, Schimel looked at allegations that Stelter had harassed the couple.
Schimel said Wednesday that he was proposing that Stelter enter into a deferred prosecution agreement that will require the former firefighter to enter counseling and will prohibit him from having contact with any victims.
If Stelter were to comply with the as yet unfinished terms of the agreement, no charges would be filed, Schimel said.
As for the lawsuit, Stelter, who lives in the Town of Merton, said that while he was on paid administrative leave during the disciplinary hearing, LaConte forced him to remain close to home in case he was needed for duty.
By doing so, Stelter claims, he accumulated 168 hours, or 21 days, of unpaid work time.
LaConte declined to comment Wednesday.
The $3,700 loss was determined by multiplying the 168 hours with an average hourly wage of $22. The lawsuit says a judge could set the final amount.
“The work restriction put in place while the plaintiff was on administrative leave directly and proximately caused the plaintiff to lose 50% of his off time during such leave, but with no compensation,” according to the lawsuit.
Stelter was given a “final payout” from the city on June 4 of $9,101, according to city records.
Copyright 2007 Journal Sentinel Inc.