Almond man charged with sexual assault

STEVENS POINT – Portage County D.A. Cass Cousins announced that criminal charges have been filed against an Almond man in connection to the Sept. 11, 2025 missing child and Amber Alert in Almond.
Specifically, Jordan A. Coyle has been charged with one count of First Degree Sexual Assault of a Child as a Persistent Repeater and one count of Interference with Child Custody in a criminal complaint filed today in Portage County Circuit Court. Because Coyle has previously been convicted of Child Sexual Assault in a 2008 Waushara County case, he qualifies as a persistent repeater and faces a mandatory life sentence if convicted.
Leading up to this offense, the six-year-old child victim was living at Coyle’s residence in Almond with her family. Due to his prior conviction, Coyle was subject to conditions of extended supervision that prohibited him from residing with children. In Sept. of 2025, the Department of Corrections learned that Coyle was in violation of these rules and issued an arrest warrant. Coyle began actively avoiding the arrest and hid from law enforcement. This included an instance when he fled on Sept. 9, 2025 after police arrived at his residence to arrest him.
On Sept. 11, 2025, the child victim walked away from her home and her location was unknown for the next two days. Police issued an Amber Alert upon the belief that the child was potentially with Mr. Coyle in some unknown location. Coyle and the child were ultimately located hiding in nearby woods in the late afternoon on Sept. 13, 2025. Mr. Coyle was taken into custody without incident.
Since that time, Coyle has remained in custody on a DOC warrant while the incident remained under continued investigation. On Jan. 9, 2026, the Wisconsin State Crime Lab issued a report containing the results of DNA evidence processing which indicated that Coyle had recent sexual contact with the child victim. Upon receipt of this report, he was charged criminally and made his first appearance in court on Jan. 12, 2026 at 1:00 for a bail bond hearing. Coyle enjoys a presumption of innocence at this time until and unless the criminal charges are proven beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
D.A. Cass Cousins further stated: “The missing persons complaint and Amber Alert has caused tremendous alarm in our community, and the further investigation has confirmed our worst fears as to what was done to this young child. This atrocious crime will be prosecuted by the Portage County DA’s Office to the fullest extent. I want to first recognize law enforcement’s tireless, around-the-clock efforts to locate the child in less than 48 hours. Thank you to all law enforcement agencies involved, including the Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Plover Police Department, and Stevens Point Police Department, who did not stop searching until this child was found. I would also like to thank the agents and analysts from Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation for their partnership with local investigators and my office to continue investigating this incident and uncover the truth of this suspect’s actions.”