Convicted Sex Offender To Be Released In Washburn County For 3rd Time In 5 Years

WASHBURN COUNTY -- Washburn County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Corrections have issued a Sex Offender Release notice regarding Gary S. Walton. Walton was previously released in March 2017, and again in December 2019.

Online Wisconsin circuit court records list four court cases in which Walton has been convicted of sexual assault, dating back to 1994 through 2009.

The Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry indicates that Walton’s registration requirements began in June 2006, and are scheduled to end in September 2037.

Walton was most recently released on supervision on December 3, 2019. Online records available through the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Offender Locator website indicate that Walton was returned to prison from supervision in January 2022.

Details regarding the reasons for Walton being returned to prison between his releases were not able to be located in online records at the time of this post.

Walton is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, December 27, 2022, to W8860 County Rd A, Spooner, WI 54801.

The full Sex Offender Release from the Washburn County Sheriff's Office can be read in its entirety below.

Sex Offender Release

Washburn County Sheriff’s Department is notifying the release of Gary Walton on December 27, 2022, to W8860 County Rd A, Spooner, WI 54801. Walton is a convicted sex offender who has been identified by professionals within the Department of Corrections as a person who may present a risk to re-offend. A decision to notify the Washburn County Community of Walton’s release has been made by members of a core team that reviews Special Sex Offender Bulletin Notifications forwarded by the Department of Corrections.

Walton remains under the close supervision of local Probation Agents. Walton is also required to follow specific and detailed rules prescribed by DOC including no unsupervised contact with minors, no contact with victims, no alcohol, no illegal narcotics, not entering liquor establishments, and registration with the Wisconsin Sex Offender Registration Program.

Sex offenders have always lived in our communities, but it wasn’t until Act 440 in 1997 which enabled law enforcement to share this information with the community. This notification is not intended to increase fear; rather, it is our belief that an informed public is a safer public.