The Wisconsin Dept. of Justice has released details of its investigation of sexting DA Kenneth Kratz. In addition to disturbing allegations by a variety of women, investigators found Kratz’s Match.com profile and messages. Kratz’s username: exboytoy1.
In addition to his repeated and unwanted sexting of Stephanie Van Groll, Kratz was accused of inviting a woman on a date to an autopsy, and pressuring another woman to have sex with him so he would support her pardon. In addition to these, documents released Friday discuss new allegations. One woman says Kratz made “sexual advances” her while he was prosecuting her husband, including asking her to listen while he described “sexual scenarios” over the phone, offering to “send [her] to Chicago to learn how to be submissive” and fondling her under her skirt (this was consensual). A social worker accuses him of sending inappropriate emails (more on this below). A woman whom Kratz had prosecuted said he told her to perform oral sex on him or he could “get her jammed up” (this woman was apparently deemed an unreliable witness because she has mental illness and a criminal record). Several women came forward with other complaints — one said Kratz asked her 17-year-old daughter inappropriate questions after she was the victim of a sex offender, while another said Kratz once told her, at work, “I won’t cum in your mouth.”
Several of the women above saved email correspondences between themselves and Kratz, and the woman he asked on the autopsy date saved their Match.com correspondence. Here’s Kratz’s profile summary:
If you’re having trouble reading the grey-on-grey, the text reads:
It’s complicated, I’m not!
Currently separated, final divorce pending. No drama in the divorce. I hope to be able to find someone to communicate with, then begin to date eventually. Serious relationships ONLY. I am an attorney in Appleton, respectful, communicative, very affectionate, “sappy” romantic, own my home, and have amazing life experiences.
By January 2010, when Kratz began messaging the woman in question, these “amazing life experiences” already included several alleged incidents of harassment, including the 30 racy text messages he sent to Stephanie Van Groll in 2009 (he wasn’t kidding about being communicative). It may also be true that his divorce was drama-free, but he failed to mention that it was his third. Complicated indeed! Here’s the first message the woman provided, sent by Kratz on January 8:
ironic
Its [sic, as is everything else from here on out] ironic that the woman who probably struck the sharpets chord with me is the one that I find most interesting. The fact that you accepted my explaination (despite the twinge of arrogance left therein) demonstrates the depth of your personality…any assumption that I made about you skaking through life on your looks has been dispelled.
Not only would I welcome an opportunity to meet you for some conversation, I’d be honorred.
[Name redacted], you have left an impression with me that is far removed from the plastic coated responses I otherwise receive…even the women who are “thrilled” to talk to me have a veneer of animation to them. There is nothing fake about you.
Thank you for your response. You are a stunning and impressive woman. I would live to take you to dinner. Write soon. Thank you.
Ken
The fact that the woman in question both struck a chord with Kratz and interested him does not appear to be ironic, but what is ironic is that Kratz fancied himself something of a writing expert, mocking a social worker (not his Match.com contact) for using the word “conflictual” in a report. He said it wasn’t a word; it is one. Unlike, say, “skaking.” When the social worker set him straight about “conflictual,” he replied “you can either flirt with me or not — you can’t have it both ways.” She told him she wasn’t interested in flirting, and the matter dropped, although she says he did comment to her about a reporter who had “big, beautiful breasts.” But back to the Match.com story — here’s Kratz’s next message (sent at 12:45 AM on Jan. 12):
Re: ironic
Wednesday? Let me know if we can do it before you leave—-Im hungry!
By the way is this a date (where I get to hold out hope of seeing you eventually) or a lunch with a possible friend thing, where I get to see how beautiful you are but realize that never in a million years will you be holdingher???
I have so many questions for you, seems you wont get in any edgewise!!!
If we do go to dinner and its a date, can I pick out the heels you will wear? I find that entertaining!
OK, talk soon, my phone [redacted by DOJ]…text or call anytime!!!
Ken
Kratz appears to have been quite the fan of heels — he’d subsequently ask her to wear them to a crime scene, and later to the autopsy (she declined both). At 7:57 the next morning, he apparently felt he had come on a little strong:
plans
I re-read my message from last night. Guess I was a little impatient.
OK, lets try this again… If you have to leave town, just call next week when we can schedule something! I am truly looking forward to taking you to a lovely dinner (I’m sure whatever heels you pick will be beautiful—-LOL).
Regarding whether this is a “date” or not, we are both single and if there is some spark great, we’ll go from there. If not, you will always have me available as a friend of yours. We don’t have to “call” this anything! Call or text me.
Better?
Ken
And finally:
RE: plans
If I get 1 meal with you, dinner for sure! Friday or Saturday is best…but I will make myself available when you are free. What kind of food do you like? Green Bay, Appleton, in between…everything works.
I am a little “taken” by you. Im sorry I sound like Im in 7th grade. Obvious that doesn’t happen to me very often
Let me know, and Im there! Thanks again..
Ken
Ken and the woman did end up having dinner at the Black and Tan restaurant in Green Bay, and it was there that he — according to her testimony — took several phone calls and discussed an ongoing missing-person investigation with detectives while at the table with her. He also told her he suspected that the missing woman’s boyfriend had murdered her, and invited her to the crime scene (in heels, natch), all while getting increasingly drunk. She says “DA Kratz was not worried about drinking and driving, and she felt he thought he was ‘above the law.’ DA Kratz told [her] that he would not have a problem if he was stopped while driving home because he had friends.” In the days that followed, Kratz continued to text her with unreleased information about the case, including the fact that investigators had discovered a body. That’s when he invited her to the autopsy, “as long as she would wear heels and act as his girlfriend.” According to the documents, she “stated that she thought this was wrong on so many levels.” There was apparently no second date.
Earlier: Sexting DA Avoids All Criminal Charges