Sentencing delayed for former Walker aide Darlene Wink



MILWAUKEE  -- Sentencing was postponed for a second time for an aide to Gov. Scott Walker when he was Milwaukee County executive.

61-year-old Darlene J. Wink pleaded guilty in February to two misdemeanor charges. She came to court on Tuesday prepared to ask for leniency in her sentence. When asked if she wanted this case over, Wink said, "Yes." But that would not happen.

The judge overseeing Wink's case once again granted a prosecutor's request to push the sentencing back, this time until Nov. 21.

Wink hasn't been able to keep her end of a plea bargain. She pleaded guilty to campaigning on county time, in exchange for her testimony in the case of Timothy Russell, a former aide to then-County Executive Scott Walker. Russell is charged with embezzling money from a veterans group. In June, a judge delayed Russell's case until September.

"Ms. Wink has not fulfilled at least that much of her agreement with Milwaukee County. Ms Wink also has some obligations with respect to a matter pending in Waukesha County," prosecutor Bruce Landgraf said.

No one would elaborate on which Waukesha County case that would be. However, Brian Pierick, Russell's domestic partner and also a government worker at the time is accused of sex crimes. Pierick, Russell and Wink are three of five in all charged after a John Doe investigation.

Defense attorney Peter Wolff says they are hoping Wink, who faces a possible $2,000 fine and a year in prison, will only be fined in the end.

"She would like to see the matter resolved. She doesn't know what the final outcome will be, and she continues day-to-day with this hanging over her head and she'd like to move on," Wolff said.

Wink was also supposed to be sentenced two months ago, but prosecutors asked for extension at that time too -- while the investigation and cases against others continue.

Wink is now scheduled for sentencing in November.

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