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An Onalaska man is facing eight felony child sexual assault charges and one gross misdemeanor for allegedly abusing a teenage girl between August 2018 and March 2025.
Donald Ray Hamilton Jr., 55, was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at approximately 12:39 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, after the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office completed an investigation into sexual misconduct that was reported on March 19, according to court documents and jail records.
The victim reportedly disclosed the sexual misconduct to staff at Hope Alliance, a free and confidential crisis program for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Lewis County, and indicated that she wanted to file a police report.
When contacted by a deputy on April 12, Hamilton allegedly confirmed some details about the sexual assault that corroborated the victim’s report, but denied some elements of the victim’s account.
Hamilton’s wife allegedly told the deputy that the victim had “not directly” made any disclosures to her about the sexual assault. Hamilton allegedly said he had “disclosed a little but to his wife,” but did not disclose everything “as she did not want to know,” according to court documents.
“I know that she reached out to my office as well, quite concerned, very supportive,” defense attorney Rachael Tiller said during Hamilton’s preliminary hearing on Monday, April 14, in Lewis County Superior Court, where he was charged with one class A felony, four class B felonies, three class C felonies and one gross misdemeanor.
Class A felonies carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, class B felonies carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and class C felonies carry a maximum penalty of up to three years in prison. Gross misdemeanors carry a maximum penalty of 364 days in prison.
“We believe the defendant to be a risk to the public, especially minors,” said Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher.
While the prosecution asked for bail to be reduced from the $500,000 set over the weekend to $250,000 due to his lack of criminal history, Lewis County Superior Court Judge Joely Yeager opted to maintain the original bail.
“I’m not going to reduce the bail. I’m going to keep the bail set at $500,000,” Yeager said Monday, noting that judges don’t have access to defendants’ criminal history when setting bail over the weekend, so weekend bail amounts are typically set based on the nature of the charges.
Of Hamilton’s lack of criminal history, Yeager said, “In my extensive experience with these types of allegations, they often don’t have criminal history.”
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, April 17.
Hamilton’s conditions of release prohibit him from having any contact with minors or from going anywhere minors are known to congregate, such as schools or parks.
A no-contact order protecting the victim is in place.
