Legal Question in Criminal Law in Wisconsin

Meaning of Felony and Misdemeanor Letter Classifications

I am only familiar with the Wisconsin letter categories which you mention, but not the number designations(which may be from another state). This "alphabet soup" classification system in WI specifies the maximum and minimum penalties which apply to various crimes. However, these are only the maximums and, on occasion, the minimums. Therefore they tell you virtually nothing about what sentence a particular crime would carry; only the range within which the judge would be able to impose a legal sentence. Any sentencing outside those ranges would be illegal and make that particular sentence subject to a "redo" if anyone pushed the issue in a higher court. These limits often change, however, based upon various enhancers due to a defendant being a habitual offender, Possessing a weapon, or victimizing a vulnerable person. All of these (and dozens of other enhancers) increase the maximum sentence within the various letter classes. I would be happy to take a wild guess about what sentence might accompany a particular crime if I had the relevant information on the offender, the victim, and all of the facts. Persons with bad prior records generally get longer sentences than those without serious prior records, and the judge also looks at such offender characteristics as work history, social responsibility and dangerousness. A more dangerous or assaultive person would more likely be locked up for a longer period in order to protect society from him. This answer is not intended as legal advice directed specifically to you unless you subsequently retain me; these are only general comments intended for an online, public forum.