Man Awaiting Trial Faces New Charges for Child Abuse

On October 5th, an eight year old boy was found walking alone down Highway 45 in Shawano County, Wisconsin in snow pants, a jacket, and shoes that were too large for his feet.  Good Samaritans found the boy and gave him food while they called the local Sheriffs.

Initially the boy told law enforcement that he had been dumped along the highway by a stranger, but eventually he explained a reality that was even more disturbing.

After being bound to a chair for one day and two nights where he was forced to soil himself, he was able to break free of the bindings and walked away from home.  He told them he did not want to go back.

The boy reported that he would be bound in a hooded sweatshirt used as a "straight jacket," around which his body would be bound to the chair.  His legs he said, would be bound with bike locks.

Once bound, he stated that the lights in the basement would be turned off and his mother and Pogrant would turn the music up upstairs so they could not hear him crying.

According to the eighteen page criminal complaint, the boy was clearly unkempt and had bruises on his face, left shoulder, back, legs, and marks on his stomach consistent with being bound.

The boy reported that he had eaten only a single peanut butter sandwich the previous day, and that the man that bound him, 36 year old Nathan Pogrant had threatened to break his fingers if he stole any other food.

In an initial visit to the home, officers located a chair in the basement with zip ties and locks on it as the boy had reported, but the mother initially stated that the boy “makes up stories.”  She eventually admitted though, to knowing that Pogrant would tie the boy to a chair, at least once, sometimes twice a week.

When the officers returned, however, on October 14th, to execute a search warrant, the mother reported that Pogrant had thrown the chair into a dumpster. At that time though, she provided officers with the "straight jacket" that Pogrant had used to bind her son.

When asked why she did nothing to stop the mistreatment of her son, she initially replied, "I don't know," before elaborating that she was afraid Pogrant would abuse her as well since he has an outstanding charge concerning domestic abuse.

Pogrant was arrested on October 14th and faces 12 charges according to the criminal complaint.  If found guilty, he could face the rest of his life in jail.

He is charged with multiple counts of Physical Abuse of a Child; multiple counts of False Imprisonment; Cause Mental Harm to a Child; Possession of THC; and Felony Bail Jumping.  He appeared in court the same day where a judge ordered him held on $25,000 cash bond.   His next court date in this matter is scheduled for November 11th.

In the meantime, one of his other two pending cases out of Marathon County is scheduled to begin on November 1st as a jury trial.  He is facing two counts of sexual assault with use of force and charges related to domestic violence.

Another matter, related to a 2017 charge of felony bail jumping is outstanding as well.

In 2006, Pogrant pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor charges of sexual assault and one count of felony sexual assault of a child younger than 16 also out of Marathon County.  He has been required to register as a sex offender since.

At this time, officers do not believe that the boy was sexually assaulted by Pogrant.