Section 961.45. Bar to prosecution.  


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  • If a violation of this chapter is a violation of a federal law or the law of another state, a conviction or acquittal under federal law or the law of another state for the same act is a bar to prosecution in this state.
1971 c. 219 ; 1995 a. 448 s. 272 ; Stats. 1995 s. 961.45. Under this section, a "prosecution" is to be equated with a conviction or acquittal. The date on which a sentence is imposed is not relevant to the determination of whether a "prosecution" has occurred. State v. Petty, 201 Wis. 2d 337 , 548 N.W.2d 817 (1996), 93-2200 . This section bars a Wisconsin prosecution under ch. 961 for the same conduct on which a prior federal conviction is based. The restriction is not limited to the same crime as defined by its statutory elements. State v. Hansen, 2001 WI 53 , 243 Wis. 2d 328 , 627 N.W.2d 195 , 99-1128 . If a conspiracy involves multi-layered conduct, and all such conduct is part of the overarching common scheme, this section does not bar prosecution when some other part of the multi-layered conduct has resulted in a prosecution in some other jurisdiction. State v. Bautista, 2009 WI App 100 , 320 Wis. 2d 582 , 770 N.W.2d 744 , 08-1692 .