Diabolical | EP 8 | The Confidante

The case moves into the courtroom, and Paul pleads for leniency. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing us at [email protected] mailto:[email protected] and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod https://www.instagram.com/betrayalpod/ and @glasspodcasts https://www.instagram.com/glasspodcasts/. To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com. If you are currently in crisis, please reach out to organizations that offer immediate support. We are including a few US-based resources here: 988 Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org/ If you or someone you know is in crisis or need to talk to someone immediately, please call or text 988 – the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24/7/365. National Domestic Violence Hotline https://www.thehotline.org/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=domestic_violence. They offer 24/7 phone and chat support to help you create a personalized safety plan and connect you with local support. For resources on sexual violence, visit rainn.org/betrayal. You can also get free, confidential, 24/7 support through RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline. Text HOPE to 64673 or call 1-800-656-HOPE. Every state has a domestic violence coalition. If you’re looking for help in the US, search the web for your state’s domestic violence coalition. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Andrea Gunning?

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• 1:36Andrea Gunning?

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• 2:08Speaker 05

  My name is Allison George, and I'm a detective with the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office. But I stand before the court today without my gun or my badge because I'm not here as a law enforcement officer. I'm here as a victim of the defendant, Mr. Paul Augustine.

• 2:25Speaker 05

  Throughout the investigation and the subsequent court proceedings, I've heard repeated excuses. Mental illness and my personal favorite, well, no one was hurt.

• 2:36Speaker 05

  What I have not seen is Mr. Augustine expressing or displaying any remorse at all for his actions. The only remorse I have seen is remorse that his elaborate plan crumbled and he was caught.

• 3:02Andrea Gunning?

  I'm Andrea Gunning, and this is Betrayal, season six. Episode eight, Diabolical.

• 3:14Andrea Gunning?

  The police investigation into Paul Augustine's case uncovered something shocking. Paul had asked a man named Joseph if he could make a small grenade and put it in someone's mailbox.

• 3:26Speaker 05

  Who did he want a grenade in their mailbox?

• 3:29Speaker 06

  It was mainly looking at you.

• 3:32Speaker 05

  Me?

• 3:32Speaker 06

  Yeah.

• 3:33Andrea Gunning?

  Within hours of this interview, a new warrant was issued for Paul's arrest. Police wanted him in custody right away. They staked out his house into the early hours of August 7, 2024, and around 1:00 a.m., Paul finally showed up.

• 3:50Speaker 07

  Driver, turn the vehicle off. Stay in the car. Put your hands up in the air. Just stay right there. Do not reach for anything. Stop reaching in your fucking pocket.

• 4:01Andrea Gunning?

  This was nothing like Paul's first arrest. Back then, detectives gave Paul the opportunity to explain himself and to give his mom a hug. They were gentle with him. This time, the cops weren't so generous.

• 4:14Speaker 07

  Stand up!

• 4:15Speaker 05

  Okay, okay.

• 4:17Speaker 07

  Okay, no, turn around. Do not put your hands.

• 4:23Speaker 07

  You are under arrest right now.

• 4:24Speaker 05

  For what?

• 4:24Speaker 07

  You have felony warrant for arrest.

• 4:26Speaker 05

  Okay, what did I do?

• 4:28Andrea Gunning?

  Paul was arrested for violating the conditions of his bail, but by the end of that day, he had 14 new charges for the threat of the mailbox grenade and for continuing to harass Carl and Drew while out on bail. That was on top of the 20 charges he already had. He was now facing a maximum of 146 years and three months. Effectively, life in prison.

• 4:54Andrea Gunning?

  The prosecutor who worked on Paul's case, Tom Binger, says that the grenade threat put Paul in a new category.

• 5:02Speaker 04

  There are many things that place this case way over the line, but when you are going after the detective investigating your case, you are now into the mafia-type territory. I can't remember any other examples where one of these perpetrators has made a threat to go to the home of an investigating officer and harm them or their family. That's just not done. That level of thinking shows you that this is someone who was not going to stop unless we stopped him.

• 5:32Andrea Gunning?

  That's why the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office brought so many additional charges. It's also why they argued for Paul to get a higher bail. The first time around, it was set at $5,000. This time, it was $500,000. No one, not even his mom, was getting Paul out.

• 5:53Andrea Gunning?

  Paul could either go to trial to try and prove his innocence or admit what he'd done and take a plea deal. In the confession tape, he made his intentions clear. I'm not pleading guilty. That's for fucking sure. After nearly a year of negotiations, Paul changed his tune. Finally, he decided to plead guilty. He would admit guilt to six counts, two for stalking, two for false reporting of an emergency, one for obstructing an officer in their investigation, and one for misappropriation of identifying information. Then there was the big one, the charge related to threatening Detective George.

• 6:36Andrea Gunning?

  To that charge, Paul pled no contest.

• 6:41Speaker 04

  A no contest plea is basically saying that you're acknowledging that you're going to be found guilty, but you're not admitting your guilt.

• 6:49Andrea Gunning?

  That's Dan Timbasko, another prosecutor who worked on Paul's case. He explained Paul wasn't going to admit he tried to get a bomb in the detective's mailbox, but Paul knew there was enough evidence to convict him, so he accepted the punishment. In the eyes of the court, this was a conviction. All of the other 27 charges were dismissed, but Paul would still have to go to court for his sentencing hearing. He would be held accountable for his long list of wrongs, the hundreds of spoofed phone calls, the threatening texts, and the fake calls to police for impersonating Adam and causing his arrest and for trying to solicit someone to go after Detective George.

• 7:32Andrea Gunning?

  His victims would testify, and he'd stand before a judge who determined how much time he'd spend behind bars. And this sentencing hearing would be a little different from most.

• 7:44Speaker 04

  It was a free hand with both sides being free to argue. So the state makes their argument, and then Mr. Augustine and his attorney get to make their argument, and then the judge is going to decide what the fair outcome is.

• 7:56Andrea Gunning?

  In other words, during plea negotiations, the two sides never agreed on how much time Paul would have to serve. It would be up to the judge after she heard both sides. There was no guarantee Paul would get prison time.

• 8:09Speaker 04

  She could have actually just given him a fine as a result of this.

• 8:13Andrea Gunning?

  The sentencing hearing was set for September 16, 2025.

• 8:19Andrea Gunning?

  The court calls 24 CF 123, 24 CF 1185. When the day came, the Kenosha County courtroom was packed. Carl says walking into that courtroom was a moment he'll never forget.

• 8:35Speaker 07

  It was honestly surreal because Paul was walking in at the same time that we all were, and it was Drew's mom that was holding the door open for him.

• 8:47Speaker 07

  He was wearing his orange jumpsuit. He had the chains around his arms and his legs. His eyes were sunken in. He was always thin, but he did look thinner. So that combination was, it was quite striking. Drew and I were exchanging words and walked in together right behind Paul. Drew was trying to like, keep me level, but my eyes were digging into the back of his skull.

• 9:16Andrea Gunning?

  Carl and Drew's family and friends had come to support them.

• 9:20Speaker 07

  There wasn't, I don't think, a single empty chair. You know, to paint the picture, it was four people there for Paul.

• 9:28Andrea Gunning?

  The rest of the room was there for the victims. Many of Carl's friends were already seated up near the front. Drew's family and friends had driven all the way from Iowa.

• 9:39Speaker 07

  And then the back row was all detectives there to support Detective George. And it was truly gratifying to get that level of support in the way that we all did.

• 9:56Andrea Gunning?

  Carl and Drew shuffled into a bench together as Paul took his seat at the defendant's table. Judge Angelina Gabrielle would be deciding Paul's fate. All right, the court calls State of Wisconsin versus Paul Augustine.

• 10:10Speaker 06

  Your attorney, Dan Timbasko, appears for the state. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Your Honor. Michael Hart on behalf of Mr. Augustine, who appears in custody and is seated at my left. All right, Attorney Timbasko, which victim would like to speak?

• 10:22Andrea Gunning?

  So, Your Honor, I'd like to start with Detective Allison George, please. Did you always know that you were going to participate in the sentencing hearing?

• 10:32Speaker 05

  I don't remember when I decided to do it, but I realized it was kind of an important step in the process. Victims need to have their voice heard and to be able to kind of say out loud the things that they're feeling.

• 10:42Andrea Gunning?

  She took the stand. The whole back row of the gallery was filled with officers who'd come to support her. Among them was her partner, Detective Morrow.

• 10:52Speaker 04

  The whole bureau, whoever was there, went that day. We got each other's back.

• 10:58Speaker 05

  All right, go ahead, ma'am. My name is Allison George, and I'm a detective with the Kenosha County Sheriff's Office. But I stand before the court today without my gun or my badge because I'm not here as a law enforcement officer. I'm here as a victim of the defendant, Mr. Paul Augustine. I've struggled in deciding what to say to the court today because I believe in rehabilitation. I believe that good people can make bad choices, and that does not make them a bad person. The difference is often the ability to feel empathy for their victims, remorse for their actions, and they have a desire and willingness to change. But throughout the investigation and the subsequent court proceedings, I've heard repeated excuses. Mental illness, and my personal favorite, well, no one was hurt. What I have not seen

• 11:42Speaker 05

  is Mr. Augustine expressing or displaying any remorse at all for his actions. The only remorse I have seen is remorse that his elaborate plan crumbled and he was caught. Even after being arrested, charged with 13 felonies and seven misdemeanors and being placed on bond, Mr. Augustine did not stop. Instead, he quietly escalated. Mr. Augustine's actions showed a blatant disregard not only for the justice system, but for the health, well-being, and safety of anyone who stood in his way. I would like to leave the court with this. In nearly a decade of law enforcement, I've bailed for aid for my safety many, many times. But I always faced that danger of knowing that my family was safe at home. That is,

• 12:26Speaker 05

  until Mr. Augustine crossed that line and brought my family and my loved ones into the equation. I live in a duplex, and my neighbors are a beautiful little family.

• 12:36Andrea Gunning?

  Her neighbors often grab her packages for her as a favor.

• 12:41Speaker 05

  And if the defendant had succeeded in having a bomb placed on my porch, it wouldn't have been me who was hurt. It would have been that innocent neighbor whose only sin was living next to the detective who interfered with Mr. Augustine's obsessive course of conduct. Thank you. Thank you.

• 13:00Andrea Gunning?

  I asked Detective Morrow what he remembers from this moment of hearing these words from his partner and watching her walk back to her seat.

• 13:09Speaker 04

  George does a very good job in not showing emotions. But you could definitely tell that that bothered her. And I don't blame her because that should shake anybody up. So many innocent people could have gotten hurt, all because of Paul.

• 13:25Andrea Gunning?

  And the second victim you're on would be Adam Mahia. Adam, Carl's ex-boyfriend. He gave his victim impact statement by Zoom. Why didn't you go to court? Why'd you do it remotely? I don't know still if I could have seen Carl and everybody. Was it hard for you to write this statement? I wrote that that morning. Because it's like, how do you take two years of chaos and combine all of those emotions into a piece of paper? I didn't think I was going

• 13:59Speaker 06

  to be able to do it, but I feel like I did.

• 14:05Speaker 06

  My name is Adam Mahia. I'm here today as a victim of false incarceration and identity theft. Although I've never met the person responsible for these crimes, their actions have deeply affected my life. Being falsely arrested was a terrifying experience. I felt powerless, unsafe, and stripped of my freedom. Even after the incident ended, the fear and helplessness stayed with me. I continue to struggle with anxiety, nightmares, and moments of panic. I am more cautious, less trusting, and I often feel unsafe in situations that

• 14:45Speaker 06

  once felt normal. I've spent countless hours trying to repair the damage and worrying about what else might have been done to my name. I often feel like I am still under attack. I live with a lingering fear, a fear of being confined again, a fear of not being able to fully protect myself. I still have two restraining orders that were dropped on my record pertaining to this case, as well as a mugshot and a booking for the false stalking charges through Kenosha County inmate search. This will not end for me because I still have permanent records that are in place that I'm told cannot be removed. I want the

• 15:27Speaker 06

  court to understand that these actions were not victimless or abstract. They caused real harm to me and my family. Thank you for giving me a chance to share how the crimes have affected my life.

• 15:43Andrea Gunning?

  Thank you, Mr. Mahia.

• 15:46Andrea Gunning?

  Adam Mahia and Detective Allison George, two very different victims. One was a sworn officer. One had served time. One was threatened. One was framed. And yet, they both suffered at the hands of the same man. But there was someone else, a victim you haven't heard from yet, not directly, anyway. He had his own story to tell. He and Paul knew each other well. And according to Paul's own confession, if Paul had his way, this victim might not have survived.

• 16:23Speaker 06

  If I could have kept doing shit, I would have, like, put Visine in his fucking stir fry. Wait, what does that do? Kills you. Oh. Well, yeah, but like, because I just want to fucking kill him.

• 16:37Andrea Gunning?

  This man was the object of so much of Paul's rage, and he'd be the next to testify. Next? Drew Condon.

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• 18:45Andrea Gunning?

  We've spent the season talking about all the ways Paul caused chaos in Carl's life. But, as you've heard in Paul's confession, Carl was never the object of Paul's hatred. With every text he sent, every spoof call he made, there was someone Paul was trying

• 19:04Speaker 06

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• 20:27Andrea Gunning?

  We've spent the season talking about all the ways Paul caused chaos in Carl's life, but as you've heard in Paul's confession, Carl was never the object of Paul's hatred. With every text he sent, every spoof call he made, there was someone Paul was trying To destroy Carl's boyfriend Drew. We haven't heard from Drew directly this season. So far, you've only heard him in clips from police footage. That's because Drew initially declined our request for an on the record interview. He's a private guy. He didn't want to relive Paul's crimes. But on the day of Paul's sentencing, Drew went before a full room of people.

• 21:09Andrea Gunning?

  And finally, after months of torment, he faced the man who had fantasized about killing him with Visine. Drew gave us permission to share his statement with you.

• 21:20Speaker 06

  Good afternoon, Your Honor. I won't lie, a lot of people today in this room are going to see a version of me that they're not accustomed to seeing. I want to be completely honest when I say I've never in my life met someone who was so jealous and vile, hateful and odd. You should feel embarrassed and humiliated at your behavior. It's disgusting that you would claim this now, that everyone is framing you, that you're being bullied because of the fact that you have autism. It's time to own up to your actions. You're not being bullied. You were the bully.

• 21:53Speaker 06

  I spent countless nights and days for nearly a year wondering when this would stop. Each day was painful, hard to get through, a daily struggle to find the mental strength to do things like going to work, maintain a healthy lifestyle, spend quality time with my partner, friends and family. Furthermore, after learning that you were responsible, I couldn't fathom why you would do this, why you would choose to do this to someone that you apparently cared about. Suddenly, what was so hard to get through each day became even more challenging. I felt a lack of trust, confidence and love from people all around me. I felt a bubble that I couldn't pop. It was excruciating to watch myself grapple with someone causing me so much pain day after day and someone that I loved so much pain day after day.

• 22:37Speaker 06

  He knew the pain that he was causing, but did not care. He didn't care then, and I feel that he still does not care today.

• 22:45Speaker 06

  I want to thank my partner Carl for sticking by me and always making sure that I was happy and taken care of each day.

• 22:53Speaker 06

  I want to separately extend an apology to Adam's family, friends and partner. The amount of stress and anxiety this caused you and your family was completely unacceptable, and I'm deeply sorry.

• 23:08Speaker 06

  In life, I believe in simplicity, respect and truth. Most if not all of these three words were taken from me.

• 23:18Speaker 06

  I used to be innocent, genuinely trusting a people, open hearted. And unfortunately, that innocence was taken for weakness. I was manipulated and betrayed when I thought that you cared, when I thought that you were also being harassed. I don't forgive you.

• 23:37Speaker 06

  And maybe that's not what I'm supposed to say. Maybe I'm just supposed to tie it up with grace and healing and wishing you well moving forward. But I don't. I don't wish you well. Not because I'm bitter, but because you knew exactly what you were doing.

• 23:54Speaker 06

  They say forgiveness is for me, not for you. But what if I found peace without giving you my grace, my good heart and my well wishes? What if I moved on without letting you off the hook? Because some people don't deserve closure or softness or a second chance at being seen as gentle with me when they were anything but. So I don't forgive you. I have truly found peace and knowing that this was all a lesson, a hard lesson, one that I didn't deserve, yet thankfully survived anyway, and that's enough for me.

• 24:24Andrea Gunning?

  Thank you.

• 24:29Andrea Gunning?

  Finally, it was Carl's turn to speak.

• 24:32Speaker 07

  Up through that point, it was everybody kind of speaking for me. And when that day came, I was, I was very excited to use my voice to finally talk about what happened to me and how it impacted me. I was ready for it.

• 24:52Andrea Gunning?

  Carl took the stand and looked straight at his former best friend, Paul Augustine.

• 24:57Speaker 07

  After enduring nearly a year of psychological torment, manipulation and fear, I stand before you not only as a victim, but as someone determined to speak the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it may be for the person responsible. And that person is Paul Augustine.

• 25:20Speaker 07

  There is no easy way to articulate what it feels like to realize that someone you once trusted, someone who sat in your home, who shared meals with you, who posed as a friend who was secretly behind the very horror you were trying to escape. Paul exploited my vulnerabilities. He weaponized my past and created a years-long illusion of friendship to gain control over me. He shattered my peace, destabilized my sense of reality and caused damage that no sentence, no apology and no explanation can undo.

• 25:54Speaker 07

  I met Paul in December of 2013. As a recently out member of the LGBT community at the time, I was emotionally vulnerable, still figuring out who I was and seeking acceptance in a world that often punishes people like me for simply being themselves. Paul was charming, outwardly generous and eager to befriend me. At the time, I didn't see how much he would come to manipulate my isolation and self doubt.

• 26:23Andrea Gunning?

  Carl then walked the court through the timeline of the harassment in great detail. And he talked at length about the impact it had on him.

• 26:32Speaker 07

  I started losing sleep, growing paranoid and withdrawing from the people around me. Meanwhile, Paul ramped up his presence in my life. He could see I was unraveling. And then the detective told me the truth. The person behind the entire campaign of harassment was not Adam or anyone connected to him, but rather it was Paul.

• 26:57Speaker 07

  In that moment, everything shattered. Once again, I could not breathe. I felt humiliated, enraged and violated. I had been living in hell all the while confiding in the person who created it, the person who had held my hand while throwing me off the cliff. And thankfully, because Paul cannot help himself, the recorded confession of his actions after he bonded out from his first arrest clarified much about his intentions.

• 27:26Speaker 07

  It became clear that all of Paul's efforts were calculated attempts to remove Andrew from my life so he could take his place, as if we were destined for some twisted version of happily ever after. Did he really think that tearing my life apart would somehow earn my affection? Unfortunately, this shows just how deep his obsession ran and how far he went to deny and cover it up.

• 27:50Speaker 07

  He may try to downplay the charges as a single mistake deserving leniency, but the reality is that even after his January 2024 arrest, he knew exactly what he was doing through all of it and the harassment that continued afterward. He didn't stop when I was exhausted or afraid or when someone else was arrested for his crimes. He only stopped when he was caught.

• 28:15Andrea Gunning?

  Then Carl took a deep breath and addressed his ex-boyfriend Adam, the person Carl once thought was behind all this.

• 28:23Speaker 07

  To Adam.

• 28:26Speaker 07

  You were wrongly accused. You were framed. And because of that, you were arrested for something you did not do.

• 28:35Andrea Gunning?

  You can hear the pain in Carl's voice.

• 28:38Speaker 07

  I am so deeply sorry for the role I played in believing a lie that hurt you. I was manipulated and so are you.

• 28:48Speaker 07

  Paul used the both of us. I hope he hears these words and understands that no excuse, no diagnosis and no victim blaming narrative will ever undo what he did. Because what he did was deliberate. What he did was evil.

• 29:04Speaker 07

  And what he did will not be forgiven and I will never forgive him.

• 29:10Speaker 07

  Thank you for hearing my voice today. It's one I will never let anyone take from me again. Thank you.

• 29:16Andrea Gunning?

  Thank you. Once all the victims had their chance to speak, it was Paul's turn. Mr. Augustine, is there anything you would like to say?

• 29:28Speaker 07

  Yes.

• 29:48Speaker 01

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• 30:18Andrea Gunning?

  The holidays are coming, which means we'll all be spending more time away from home. Whether you're visiting family or doing something actually fun, you want to know your home is protected while you're away. That's why now is a good time to think about home security with SimpliSafe. Unlike traditional security systems that alert you after a break-in starts, SimpliSafe is designed to help stop intruders before they get inside. These days, you're worried about your house, you're out of town, and then something comes up and you get to look on your phone, and SimpliSafe is going to show you not only the video of like, it's a raccoon at your front door, but also that they have staff that's sitting there, they already know. And if it was something different or worse, they would have already been on it. Yeah, I really think that's invaluable peace of mind, that just like relying on

• 31:00Andrea Gunning?

  your neighbors, paying attention is not going to give you. We've partnered with SimpliSafe to offer our listeners their biggest savings of the year, 70% off your new system with professional monitoring when you visit simplisafe.com/mfm. That's simplisafe.com/mfm. And when you order, write in MFM at checkout, and it tells them we sent you, and it really helps the show. SimpliSafe, ahead of crime, in real time. Goodbye. Sponsored by GSK, the makers of Extenture, Depamocumab ULAA. If your asthma keeps interrupting, it may be time to try something else. Extenture is an ultra-long-acting prescription maintenance treatment for severe asthma, eosinophilic type, ages 12 and older. It isn't for sudden breathing problems.

• 31:45Andrea Gunning?

  Extenture is the first and only add-on treatment that can help deliver protection from asthma attacks with two doses a year, just one dose every six months. That's a lot of time for everything in between. Serious allergic reactions can occur. Get help right away for swelling of face, mouth, tongue, or trouble breathing. Don't change or stop medicines, including steroids, unless told by your doctor. Report if you have a parasitic infection, common cold, sinus infection, inflammation in the nose, flu or flu-like symptoms, joint pain or sore throat may occur. Carry on with fewer attacks, and ask your doctor about Extenture. Learn more at extenture.com, or call 1-833-393-3678. Quick break from the case.

• 32:28Andrea Gunning?

  If there's a kid on your gift list this year, here's one you can close fast. Guardian is the number one kids' bike on the market, with over 1 million happy riders, and the easiest way to learn. They're lightweight with a wide-wheel base, so kids ride in just one day. No training wheels needed. Designed and assembled in the USA, and named Wirecutter's Top Pick four years in a row. Save over 40% now, plus get over $120 in free accessories with every bike. That's guardianbikes.com.

• 33:13Andrea Gunning?

  As we mentioned at the top of the episode, Paul's sentence would be left up to the judge. He could get prison time, or he could be let off with a fine, which meant every word shared in that courtroom had the power to influence what came next. After all the victims got their chance to speak, the prosecutor gave a brief statement. He asked for five years of prison time and three years of extended supervision. Then, it was time to hear from the defense. Paul's attorney, Michael Hart, asked the judge for a lighter sentence. He explained that his client had already been confined at the Kenosha County Detention Center for the last 14 months.

• 33:54Speaker 06

  The first six of which occurred in a segregated unit where he was confined 23 hours a day because there were threats on his life. Now, listen, I'm not asking for anyone to feel sorry for Mr. Augustine, but this has hardly been easy time. Mr. Augustine has 405 days of pretrial confinement credit in a setting that is less than ordinary confinement for a person of 130 pounds and his social makeup.

• 34:25Andrea Gunning?

  So, he asked the court to impose and stay a prison sentence, to let Paul out and put him on probation.

• 34:32Speaker 06

  With conditions that are appropriate, including mental health treatment, AODA assessment and follow-through, no contact with any of the victims.

• 34:41Andrea Gunning?

  This all stood in stark contrast to the prosecution's ask, but Hart argued that giving Paul a lengthy prison sentence could send a bad message.

• 34:52Speaker 06

  We, as a system, have a continuum of offenses. And if we find an appropriate sentence of 10 years of confinement, what do we do with the cases involving armed robberies and violent offenders? Physical violence? What do we do with those cases? While I'm not suggesting to you that Mr. Augustine's behavior in this case is not diabolical, there is an appropriate sentence that doesn't rise to the level of 10 years of confinement. Thank you.

• 35:25Speaker 05

  Thank you. And does his mother wish to speak?

• 35:28Speaker 06

  She does.

• 35:29Andrea Gunning?

  The judge allowed Paul's mom to make a statement on his behalf. She was his strongest supporter.

• 35:36Speaker 05

  I'd like to first say that we fully realize the seriousness of these offenses. We are not here to minimize or make excuses. We would like to apologize to the victims for the disruption this has brought to their lives. As parents, we are truly sorry. We believe that had Paul been in treatment for known longstanding mental health issues and emotional struggles that he was carrying, that we likely would not be here. Mark, Paul's father, Mark and I both feel some sense of responsibility in that regard for failing to recognize the severity and not being more insistent that he be in therapy, especially after the death of his spouse.

• 36:18Andrea Gunning?

  The death of his spouse. If you remember, Paul's boyfriend died in January of 2021. They weren't married, but they were living together. Paul was there when he died. Paul's mom said that his grief and his anxiety around being alone impacted him profoundly.

• 36:37Speaker 05

  I want it known that this behavior was a drastic shift from Paul's baseline of 32 years, completely out of character, blindsided us. This is Paul's rock bottom. As for the incarceration, he's had a very tough go of it. I have spoken to him every single day since the inception of this case, and all I've heard from Paul is deep insight as to how he got here, and shame, regret, all positive indicators that he does own and take responsibility for his actions. He's shamed beyond belief.

• 37:18Speaker 05

  So it was hard to hear that he thinks it's funny and brags and doesn't have remorse. That is so not what I've seen. He's motivated to be healthy mentally, emotionally, and morally. He'll be a better man. He is damaged, not dangerous. We respectfully ask that he be allowed to return home to heal and do good in the world. Please allow Paul to come home. Thank you.

• 37:45Andrea Gunning?

  Everyone watched Paul's mom walk back to her seat, including Sue, Carl's mom.

• 37:51Speaker 05

  I really felt somewhat sympathetic towards his mother. I would not want to be sitting in that courtroom, in those benches, hearing my son plead guilty to felony counts that's going to put him away for, could have been a bazillion years.

• 38:07Speaker 06

  But knowing what he has caused, the grief that he has caused to my son, the sympathy only goes so far.

• 38:16Andrea Gunning?

  Then, there was just one more person left to hear from.

• 38:21Speaker 05

  Mr. Augustine, is there anything you would like to say?

• 38:24Speaker 06

  Yes. Um, I would like to start out by apologizing to everyone that I impacted with these poor choices. It's a long list of people. That includes Carl, Andrew, Adam, Detective George, along with each and every one of their family members. I'd also like to give a huge apology just to law enforcement as a whole for wasting their precious time, wasting their resources. I acted out in completely unacceptable and embarrassing ways, both not

• 38:56Speaker 06

  Not only legally, but morally speaking. Paul read from a yellow legal pad. He barely took a breath. He'd been waiting for this moment for over a year. Would Paul really show remorse? Throughout the past 13 months of being incarcerated, I've had time to reflect every single day on where I went horribly wrong and reflect on where I see my future. I cannot even begin to stress the extreme amount of sadness, embarrassment, and grief that I feel here today, knowing that I forever tarnished once beautiful friendships and connections that I valued all over falling in love with someone and not accepting no as an answer. I coped with that in such a way that brought chaos,

• 39:41Speaker 06

  fear, and anxiety into multiple people's lives over a long duration of time. My actions were extremely shameful, and I realize now that they demonstrate the opposite of loving a person. I am 100% committed to following the rules imposed by the court today, whatever that sentence may be. And I promise you from the bottom of my heart, Your Honor, that I understand the gravity and the full extent of what I caused and the dark cloud that I had over people's lives. And I'm disgusted with myself for engaging in such disgusting behavior. And that concludes everything. Thank you.

• 40:21Speaker 07

  The statement really just came across as disingenuous to me. He just kept going on about how bad he felt. I'm willing to do anything the court says. I learned my lesson. But did he really, though? It didn't really feel like it was a full acknowledgement for the terror he really caused.

• 40:45Speaker 06

  After Paul's statement, it was time for Judge Angelina Gabrielle to impose her sentence. As we said at the top of the episode, Paul pled guilty to six counts, two for stalking, two for false reporting of an emergency, one for obstructing an officer in their investigation, and one for misappropriation of identifying information. He also pled no contest on the charge related to Detective George. For all these crimes, the prosecution asked for five years of prison time, followed by three years of extended supervision. The defense asked the judge to let Paul out and place him on probation. But the judge had reviewed the case herself,

• 41:29Speaker 06

  and she was disturbed by what she saw. The court considers the seriousness of the offenses as one factor in deciding what an appropriate sentence should be. And these are exceptionally serious. Judge Gabrielle addressed Paul directly. After being released from jail and on video, you admitted and bragged about the offenses that you had engaged in. You were not sorry, only sorry that you got caught. What you did to these people is unacceptable, and that's truly an understatement of what happened here.

• 42:12Speaker 06

  You engaged in a course of action that was calculated, that was manipulative over a course of nine or 10 months in which you stalked these people, you intimidated them, you threatened them, you falsely accused another person of being responsible. And not only did your false accusation land, it resulted in Mr. Mejia being arrested.

• 42:40Speaker 06

  He said he was shaken to the core by this trauma, not understanding how or why he was even in custody.

• 42:50Speaker 06

  I note that you were arrested on January 25, 2024. And when you were released, you were undeterred from your course of action. You simply picked up right where you left off. I'm being asked to consider what your life would be like if I incarcerate you. You didn't take time or give consideration to what your life would be like if you were incarcerated. You had two days to sample that lifestyle, and you came out undeterred. Mr. Condon said that his innocence was taken. He felt manipulated and betrayed. And he doesn't forgive you.

• 43:29Speaker 06

  The judge paused. She sighed. And then she turned to speak to Drew. Mr. Condon, I'll say, I hear people come into court here who have suffered tremendous harm to themselves, and they do say that they forgive the person who harmed them. But I never quite believed them because I think like you. How can you forgive? All you can do is move forward. There's no reason to forgive. You can find peace. You can find positivity in your life without forgiveness. You certainly should forgive yourself, just as Mr. Bryant should forgive himself. This is nobody's fault but Mr. Augustine's. She then returned to Paul.

• 44:15Speaker 06

  Your attorney says that we should save the serious sentences for the serious crimes. If I send you to prison, what should I do with armed robberies? Well, I can send them to prison, too. There's no exclusivity here where if I send you, I can't send them. What you did is diabolical. And although there was no physical violence, there was certainly the potential for physical violence. Having six squad cars show up at a home with armed officers under the impression that there is a serious crime occurring inside the home certainly incites violence. Regardless of Paul's diagnosis or size, the judge was convinced that he was a threat to the public.

• 45:01Speaker 06

  The court does believe that a prison sentence is necessary here for the protection of the public. All I have to do is look at what happened after you posted $5,000 cash bond to know what your risk for reoffending is if you were placed on probation. At last, Judge Gabrielle delivered her sentence. I'm going to start with

• 45:25Speaker 06

  count nine in 24 CF 123. There, the court imposes one year of initial confinement, followed by two years of extended supervision. As to count one in 24 CF 123, the court imposes one and a half years initial confinement. As to count six in 24 CF 123, In total, the judge sentenced Paul to 10 years in prison, followed by 12 years of extended supervision, and then another three years of probation. She also ordered Paul to pay restitution to his victims. This was far more than the prosecution ever hoped for. When Adam heard the final verdict, he felt justice had been served.

• 46:09Speaker 06

  I don't think we could have asked for more. She really broke it down. She was like, this is what I think he deserves. And I could not agree more. She saw clearly. Oh, gosh, yeah. Paul Augustine was headed to prison. The nightmare was supposed to be over. But a year after the sentencing, Adam was still living with the consequences of Paul's crimes.

• 46:33Speaker 04

  Today's June 26, 2026, and I just received the letter from the Criminal Information Bureau.

• 46:43Speaker 06

  Justice prevailed. Still, there were wounds to heal.

• 46:48Speaker 05

  Do you think of Adam ever? Yeah, actually, I've been hoping eventually one of these days I'll run into him because I would love to talk to him.

• 46:54Speaker 06

  And the fight to clear Adam's name begins.

• 46:59Speaker 06

  That's next time on Betrayal.

• 47:03Speaker 06

  As a listener note, it seems like Paul may be appealing his sentence. While he hasn't filed an official appeal, he keeps filing to extend his window to appeal in Wisconsin courts. We'll keep you updated on his case if and when he files.

• 47:18Speaker 06

  If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal team or want to tell us your betrayal story, email us at [email protected]. That is [email protected]. Or follow us on Instagram at BetrayalPod or me at It's Andrea Gunning. To access our newsletter and additional content and to connect with the Betrayal community, join our Substack at betrayal.substack.com. We're grateful for your support. One way to show support is by subscribing to our show on Apple Podcasts. And don't forget to rate and review. Five-star reviews go a long way. A big thank you to all of our listeners. Betrayal is a production of Glass Podcasts, a division of Glass Entertainment Group in partnership with iHeart Podcasts.

• 48:02Speaker 06

  The show was executive produced by Nancy Glass, hosted and produced by me, Andrea Gunning, written and produced by Carrie Hartman and Caitlin Golden. Our story editor is Monique LaBord, also produced by Ben Fetterman. Our production manager is Kristen Mulkeri. Our associate producer is Lea Jablo. Additional support by Curry Richmond and Olivia Hewitt. Our iHeart team is Ally Perry and Jessica Krychek. Audio editing by Tanner Robbins, mixing and mastering by Matt Delvecchio. And special thanks to Carl Bryan, Adam Mejia, Matt Rolsey, and their communities. Betrayal's theme composed by Oliver Baines. Music library provided by MyB Music. And for more podcasts from iHeart, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

• 48:46Speaker 06

  or wherever you get your podcasts.

• 48:56Andrea Gunning?

  Sponsored by GSK, the makers of Extenture, Depamocumab ULAA. If your asthma keeps interrupting, it may be time to try something else. Extenture is an ultra-long-acting prescription maintenance treatment for severe asthma, eosinophilic type, ages 12 and older. It isn't for sudden breathing problems. Extenture is the first and only add-on treatment that can help deliver protection from asthma attacks with two doses a year, just one dose every six months. That's a lot of time for everything in between. Serious allergic reactions can occur. Get help right away for swelling of face, mouth, tongue, or trouble breathing. Don't change or stop medicines, including steroids, unless told by your doctor. Report if you have a parasitic infection,

• 49:39Andrea Gunning?

  common cold, sinus infection, inflammation in the nose, flu or fluke-like symptoms, joint pain or sore throat may occur. Carry on with fewer attacks and ask your doctor about Extenture. Learn more at extenture.com or call 1-833-393-3678. Parents and grandparents, if you want a gift that won't be forgotten by New Year's, give a Guardian bike. It's America's favorite kids' bike because most kids learn to ride in just one day. No training wheels needed. They're lightweight and low to the ground with a wide wheelbase for balance. It's no wonder they have a 4.9 out of 5-star rating with over a million happy riders. They're also designed and assembled in the USA, and they've been the New York Times Wirecutter's top pick four years in a row.

• 50:24Andrea Gunning?

  This holiday season, Guardian is offering its biggest deal of the year. Save over 40% on kids' bikes plus get over $120 in free accessories, a lock, pump, bell, grips, clamp, and a coloring book and sticker kit. That's every stocking stuffer covered. They have helmets and adult bikes, too, so the whole family can ride. Shop guardianbikes.com. That's guardianbikes.com.

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