A former aide to Gov. Scott Walker reached a plea deal late Monday night on embezzlement charges as part of the ongoing John Doe investigation into illegal activity at then-Milwaukee County Executive Walker’s office in 2010.
Tim Russell faces up to 14 years in jail and $45,000 in fines for stealing money from a veterans support group when he served under Walker as chief of staff. The plea hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Russell was charged in January with two felonies and one misdemeanor for stealing more than $20,000 from Operation Freedom, a group that raises funds to assist veterans and their families.
Another former Walker aide, Kelly Rindfleisch, pleaded guilty last week to helping set up a secret computer system in the county executive office designed to raise campaign funds for Brett Davis, who unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor in 2010.
Former Walker aide Darlene Wink also pleaded guilty in February to conducting illegal campaign work out of her government office. Her sentencing hearing is set to take place Jan. 10.
