Lone Rock man to serve probation for attempted robbery

A Lone Rock man was recently sentenced for attempting to rob a Prairie du Sac grocery store nearly three years ago.

Donald Lloyd Burkhalter, 62, had pleaded no contest June 20 to a felony count of attempted armed robbery.

Sauk County Circuit Court Judge Wendy Klicko ordered during a Dec. 19 hearing that Burkhalter serve eight years of probation. A condition of the probation includes a year of jail time.

A sentence that included imprisonment was delayed in favor of probation. If Burkhalter violates the conditions of the order, he will be sent to prison for four years with another four years of extended supervision. Prohibitions of the probation include that Burkhalter not enter any establishment with the primary purpose of selling alcohol, he not possess or consume any alcohol and not possess any controlled substances.

Burkhalter must also maintain absolute sobriety and not have any contact with one of the witnesses or Sauk Prairie Market. He is prohibited from gambling, taking part in any lottery or entering any casino. Klicko also ordered he provide a DNA sample upon being convicted of a felony and that he undergo alcohol and other drug assessment and subsequent treatment.

Burkhalter was released on a $1,000 cash bond in January 2020. During the June plea hearing, Klicko ordered a presentence investigation, which was filed in August. An alternative investigation was filed by Burkhalter’s attorney and character reference letters were filed in the court along with a victim impact statement.

According to the criminal complaint:

Burkhalter told police he tried to rob the market while under the influence of illegal drugs in early January 2020. Officers with the Sauk Prairie Police Department obtained a search warrant 10 days later. They searched both his cell phone and his North Mill Street residence.

In the report, then SPPD officer Andrew Lewis noted that Burkhalter admitted to planning the robbery at 645 Third St., but changed his mind. He had been smoking crack cocaine in the parking lot of the Ho-Chunk casino in Madison and gambling for three days before the attempted robbery. Burkhalter said he was driving around for hours before spotting the store and deciding to rob it.

The cashier told officers she was approached by Burkhalter as he lifted his shirt to reveal what looked like the black handle of a handgun, but was actually an airsoft gun.

Burkhalter said he did not remember showing the weapon or lifting his shirt. When another employee approached without seeing the exchange, Burkhalter walked away after realizing the scheme was a bad idea.

Authorities identified Burkhalter as the attempted robber through circulated surveillance footage photos. Tips led them to his public records and social media, where a photo showed him wearing the same blue bandana around his neck that he had on the day of the attempted robbery.