Kewaunee County chief deputy charged with disorderly conduct By Kevin Boneske For The News-Chronicle Kewaunee County Chief Deputy David Cornelius has been charged in Outagamie County Circuit Court with disorderly conduct in connection with an altercation reported March 30 during an Emergency Management conference at the Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton. Cornelius, 42, has already received a one-week suspension without pay in his job as chief deputy for violating rules and regulations governing conduct as a member of the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department. He has been accused of an incident that evening in which he walked down a hotel hall "on all fours" and grabbed a 62-year-old man to pull him down. According to a report from the Appleton Police Department, Cornelius appeared he was going to hit the man, but the man was able to push himself free and call security. The Appleton Police Department was called to the Paper Valley Hotel at about 10:47 p.m. Although not elaborating on the circumstances surrounding the incident, Appleton Police Department Public Information Officer Neal Rabas said, "There was alcohol involved." Cornelius was part of a Kewaunee County delegation staying overnight at the hotel. County officials who received approval to attend the two-day conference in Appleton on March 30-31 included Cornelius, Sheriff John Cmeyla, Emergency Management Director Lori Hucek and some county board members. The misdemeanor charge, which was filed last week, had been sought by the Appleton Police Department. Cornelius has an initial appearance scheduled for May 27 at the Outagamie County Justice Center. He has publicly apologized for the incident in a letter to the editor he submitted last month to the Enterprise. Cornelius, a former sheriff's department investigator, was promoted to chief deputy after Cmeyla, the previous chief deputy, won the election as sheriff in November 2002.