Lac du Flambeau man pleads guilty to domestic violence charges in Outagamie County

APPLETON – A 30-year-old Lac du Flambeau man entered guilty pleas Wednesday to multiple domestic violence charges in Outagamie County.

Frank Schuman pleaded guilty to two counts of battery, two counts of disorderly conduct, and one count of strangulation and suffocation. All charges are felonies, and have domestic abuse modifiers.

A sixth charge of second-degree sexual assault with use of force was dismissed but read in.

Schuman also faces domestic abuse charges in Vilas and Oneida counties. The Outagamie County charges were specifically for two incidents that occurred on April 2, 2022, and May 1, 2022.

According to two criminal complaints, the April 2 incident occurred after Schuman drove his then-girlfriend to her residence in Appleton and they got into an argument in the car. Schuman hit his girlfriend in the face with a closed fist. Earlier in the day, they had been in Vilas County, where Schuman allegedly repeatedly punched the woman in the face during an argument.

After hitting the woman in Appleton, Schuman then drove her to the emergency room at Ascension St. Elizabeth Hospital, where she was informed she had a broken jaw and had to have it wired shut.

Schuman declined to discuss the incident in Vilas County in court Wednesday, at the advice of his attorney.

The May 1, 2022, assault occurred at Schuman's girlfriend's residence, where the two of them got into an argument and Schuman choked her and hit her, and after she fell on the floor, kicked her repeatedly while wearing work boots, according to the complaint.

At the plea hearing Wednesday, Outagamie County Circuit Court Judge Mark McGinnis asked Schuman to explain what happened during the two incidents.

Schuman took responsibility for the assaults, after repeated questioning from McGinnis, but claimed he had been drinking heavily during the May 1, 2022, incident and did not remember all of it, including kicking the woman.

"If she says it happened, then it happened," Schuman told McGinnis.

Schuman's sentencing hearing for the Outagamie County convictions is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 4.

RELATED: Lac Du Flambeau man charged in Outagamie, Oneida, Vilas counties with violent crimes related to domestic abuse

In Vilas County, Schuman is charged with domestic abuse substantial battery with intent to cause bodily harm. His next court appearance is a status hearing at 9 a.m. Dec. 7, with a two-day jury trial scheduled for Feb. 15 and 16.

In Oneida County, Schuman is charged with domestic abuse incidents with a different woman, that occurred in January and February of 2022. He faces felony charges for first-degree recklessly endangering safety, false imprisonment and substantial battery with intent to cause bodily harm, as well as misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and battery, all with domestic abuse modifiers. Schuman has a two-day jury trial scheduled for Feb. 26 and 27.

Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter at @ArseneauKelli

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This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Lac du Flambeau man pleads guilty to domestic violence charges