WAUKESHA — A woman accused of cutting off her GPS monitor and skipping bail appeared in Waukesha County Court on Wednesday afternoon, days after she was taken back into custody. Kalin Sunde was originally arrested following a high-profile standoff she broadcast on Facebook Live in early June.
Sunde had the chance to remain out of jail with a GPS monitor, but now she will most likely stay behind bars as her four cases proceed.
She appeared in court chained in handcuffs and wearing an orange jumpsuit after going on the run once again.
Initially charged following a standoff on Interstate 94 in Oconomowoc, Sunde went off the grid last week when she removed the GPS monitoring device she was ordered to wear after someone posted $100,000 bail. Officials realized she went missing after she failed to appear at a drug screening and a court appearance.
Now she’s facing two felony charges of bail jumping connected to the standoff and a separate case of resisting an officer at the hospital.
District Attorney Susan Opper argued for a high bail due to the amount of time it took officers to locate Sunde and take her into custody.
“This was a significant effort by law enforcement. They didn’t just stumble onto her,” Opper said. “She did not voluntarily turn herself in. She did not surrender.”
Opper said 15 Milwaukee Police officers spent about eight hours each to find Sunde. Eight U.S. Marshal detectives each spent between one to two days as well.
Sunde wasn't captured until a tip led investigators to a vehicle she was riding in.
Judge Jennifer Dorow agreed Sunde is a flight risk, ordering $250,000 bail to cover four open cases against Sunde.
“This was a significant effort by law enforcement. They didn’t just stumble onto her.” — District Attorney Susan Opper
“This court must look at whether there is a reasonable basis to believe that Ms. Sunde will not appear in court. That’s no longer a reasonable belief, that’s an actuality,” Dorow said.
Sunde’s attorney, Ben Van Severen, doubts his client will be able to post bail, and he said the additional charges don’t help her cases.
“It’s going to make things more difficult, especially with negotiations with the prosecution. If these cases do go to trial, there’s additional allegations that the jury’s going to have to consider,” Van Severen said.
Sunde will be back in court for the bail jumping cases Sept. 12.
