Western District of Wisconsin
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
DeForest Man Sentenced to 1 Year in Prison for Making ThreatsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael A. Yaker, 53, DeForest, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to one year and one day in federal prison for transmitting in interstate commerce a threatening communication. Yaker’s prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.
Yaker sent threatening communications on and off to various public officials and government employees since 2010. Yaker’s campaign of threats continued when he left Wisconsin in January 2022. As a result of leaving Wisconsin, Yaker’s threats—telephone calls and emails—were transmitted in interstate commerce, thus triggering federal jurisdiction. Yaker was charged in federal court and pled guilty on March 29, 2023.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Peterson stated, ”You have hurt people … You injure the people you threaten.” The sentencing hearing primarily focused on protecting the public by treating Yaker’s mental health needs. Judge Peterson directed that Yaker participate in mental health counseling during his supervised release term. While making clear that mental health resources would be provided, Judge Peterson addressed Yaker directly: “You are not a child. The primary responsibility for managing mental health is yours.” Judge Peterson warned Yaker that revocation and return to custody would be swift if Yaker failed to comply with the release conditions. “I’m responsible, I get it,” Yaker replied.
The charge against Yaker was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Capitol Police, and the Hamilton County, Kansas Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution of this case has been handled by U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor.
Appleton Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Methamphetamine for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ari Lor, 30, Appleton, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Lor pleaded guilty to this charge on April 4, 2023.
In January of 2022, law enforcement agents began a drug investigation into Lor. On June 20, 2022, GPS location data from Lor’s cellular telephone showed he was driving towards Wausau, Wisconsin, from his home in Appleton. Based on information developed during the investigation, agents believed Lor was planning to meet with co-defendant Devin Needham to buy methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officers located Lor’s black minivan parked at a market in Wausau. Officers observed Lor leave the market carrying at least one plastic bag and get in the passenger side of the minivan. The minivan drove away but was pulled over by law enforcement officers a short time later for an expired registration sticker. After a K-9 positively alerted to the presence of narcotics, officers searched the minivan and found approximately one pound of methamphetamine in a white plastic bag.
Officers later reviewed surveillance video from the market and saw Lor and Needham walk around the store together. In the video, Needham is carrying a white plastic bag and the name of a store printed on the side of the bag was identical to the bag found in the minivan containing the methamphetamine.
During Lor’s arrest, agents seized two cellular telephones from him. Officers later searched the phones pursuant to a warrant, and on one of the phones found a message over the application “Telegram” from June 19, 2022, in which Lor asked Needham about the price of one pound of methamphetamine. Needham responded it would cost $4,000. Telegram messages prior to Lor’s arrest on June 20 show him and Needham making plans to meet that day in Wausau.
Lor’s criminal history includes four prior felony convictions, including convictions for strangulation and suffocation and possession with intent to distribute amphetamine. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson concluded that a significant sentence was warranted because Lor’s criminal history showed a commitment to a criminal lifestyle. Judge Peterson also noted that Lor had been provided with many opportunities to turn his life around but failed to do so.
Needham pleaded guilty on April 5, 2023 to possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution. He will be sentenced by Judge Peterson on July 20, 2023.
The charge against Lor is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wausau Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Everest Metro Police Department, and Wisconsin’s National Guard Counterdrug Program. The Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group and the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
La Crosse Man Charged with Gun Crimes and Drug Crimes Involving Methamphetamine & Fentanyl
Issac Santana, 26, La Crosse, Wisconsin, is charged in an 8-count indictment with gun and drug crimes. The indictment alleges that on November 19, 2022, he possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, that he possessed fentanyl with intent to distribute, and that he was a felon in possession of ammunition. The indictment further alleges that on February 9, 2023, he distributed methamphetamine. The final four counts of the indictment allege that on April 6, 2023, he possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, that he possessed fentanyl with intent to distribute, that he was a felon in possession of a 9mm handgun and ammunition, and that he possessed a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted, Santana faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years on the two charges alleging the possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution, 20 years on each of the fentanyl charges and the distribution of methamphetamine charge, 15 years on the felon in possession of ammunition and felon in possession of a firearm charges, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Santana are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Two Dane County Men Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Tyez D.D. Boyd, 25, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and Davonte F. King, 28, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing fentanyl for distribution, and possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The indictment alleges that on November 17, 2022, Boyd possessed a.45 caliber handgun. The indictment further alleges that on that day, King possessed a 9mm handgun, and fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
If convicted, Boyd and King each face a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on the felon in possession of a firearm charge. King faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on the fentanyl charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Boyd and King are the result of an investigation by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force; Madison Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Messiah A. Fleming, 21, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, with possessing fentanyl for distribution, and with possessing a loaded firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that on November 24, 2022, he possessed a loaded 9mm handgun and fentanyl with intent to distribute.
If convicted, Fleming faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge, 20 years on the fentanyl charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Fleming are the result of an investigation by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force; Madison Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Walworth County Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm
Arron W. Dupler, 34, Darien, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on March 4, 2022, he possessed a Ruger LCP .380 handgun.
If convicted, Dupler faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Janesville Police Department; and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Robert A. Goldsberry, 28, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, with possessing marijuana for distribution, and with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that on November 3, 2022, he possessed a 9mm handgun and ammunition, and marijuana with intent to distribute.
If convicted, Goldsberry faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison on the felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition charge, 5 years on the marijuana charge, and a mandatory minimum of 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other prison term imposed.
The charges against Goldsberry are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Reinhard is handling the prosecution.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Distributing Heroin
Robert Seymour, 38, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with two counts of distributing heroin. The indictment alleges that he distributed heroin on May 31 and June 21, 2023.
If convicted, Seymour faces a maximum penalty of 20 years on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Reinhard is handling the prosecution.
Jamaican National Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Andre Bowyer, 32, a citizen of Jamaica found in Grant County, Wisconsin, is charged with reentering the United States after previously being removed. The indictment alleges that he was found in the United States on June 12, 2023.
If convicted, Bowyer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Darryl McDonald, 39, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to ten years in prison for conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. McDonald pleaded guilty to this charge on March 15, 2023.
The government’s investigation revealed that McDonald, who resided in Chicago, began providing cocaine to various people for redistribution around the Madison, Wisconsin area. One source of information (SOI) stated that she began transporting cocaine to the Madison area from Chicago for McDonald in 2016. She made numerous trips where she transported cocaine for McDonald and received approximately $1,500 per trip. The arrangement between the SOI and the defendant went on for several years until the SOI was arrested in May 2018 in Illinois with approximately a half-kilogram of cocaine.
The SOI reported that she had picked up a kilogram of cocaine from McDonald in Chicago and delivered half of it to a customer in Illinois per McDonald’s instructions. She was driving to Madison to distribute the second half when she was pulled over and arrested. The SOI communicated with McDonald before and during this trip via text message and the messages corroborated that she was delivering the cocaine for McDonald. Upon getting pulled over with the cocaine in her car, the SOI immediately texted McDonald for help and provided a pin with her location.
Between 2016 and 2021, financial records show that McDonald had very little verifiable income, though he made several large purchases and conducted most transactions using cash. Financial records also show that McDonald deposited over $250,000 in cash into his checking account during the same timeframe.
A total of eight individuals have pleaded guilty to participating in this cocaine distribution scheme and have all now been sentenced by Judge Peterson.
The charge against McDonald is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Madison Police Department, and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Madison Felon Sentenced to 27 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anthony Bailey, 33, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 27 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Bailey pleaded guilty to this charge on March 20, 2023.
On February 6, 2022, an officer with the Fitchburg Police Department responded to a noise complaint in a residential neighborhood. When the officer arrived, he saw Bailey involved in a physical fight with his girlfriend in the street. After the two stopped fighting, Bailey admitted to having a loaded Glock gun in his pants. He is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition as a result of two felony convictions from 2008 and 2010.
In sentencing Bailey, Judge Conley stated the sentence was justified by Bailey’s lack of compliance under pretrial supervision, which included committing a new crime after failing to appear for a hearing in this case. Judge Conley also stated that he could not ignore that to date, Bailey had failed to choose a life path free from crime.
The charge against Bailey was the result of an investigation conducted by Fitchburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus handled the prosecution of this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Reedsburg Attorney Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $1.64 Million from Client's Trust AccountsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kristin Lein, 60, Reedsburg, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today in District Court in Madison to wire fraud, money laundering, and filing a false tax return. Lien is a licensed attorney in Wisconsin.
At the plea hearing, Lein pleaded guilty to an information that charged her with stealing $1,643,818 from a client’s trust accounts. According to the information, in June 2019, Lein began transferring money from several accounts belonging to the client’s trust to her own personal bank account. During a telephone call on February 2, 2022, Lein and the beneficiary of the trust discussed financial matters. During the telephone call, Lein told the beneficiary that the trust balance was over $1,800,000. However, Lein knew that the actual amount of money held in the trust was significantly less due to her embezzlement of funds. Lein continued to embezzle money from the trust accounts until the funds were depleted in September 2022.
As part of the plea agreement, Lein admitted that she used the embezzled funds to pay personal expenses, including improvements to her residence in Reedsburg and to purchase a pickup truck. Lein also admitted that she failed to report the income she obtained from the embezzlement on her 2019 personal tax return.
The maximum penalty for the wire fraud charge is 20 years in prison. The maximum penalty for the money laundering charge is 10 years in prison. The maximum penalty for filing a false tax return is three years in prison. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley scheduled the sentencing hearing for September 7, 2023, at 1:00 p.m.
The charges against Lein were a result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Appleton Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Coercing 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Wang Lo, 23, of Appleton, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 15 years in federal prison for enticing and coercing a child to engage in sexually explicit conduct. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Lo pleaded guilty to this charge on March 16, 2023.
In May 2022, a then-14-year-old girl, reported she had been sexually assaulted by someone she met online when she was 13. She reported that he coerced her to engage in sexually explicit conduct with him, that he recorded that conduct, and then threatened to distribute the video if she did not engage in additional sexual conduct with him.
Agents searched Lo’s phone and found messages to the girl, threatening to send the sexually explicit video to her family and to her school if she did not engage in additional sexual activity with him. They also found messages indicating he had sexually assaulted a second 13-year old girl.
Judge Peterson called the defendant’s conduct shocking and outrageous, and noted that while the defendant was technically a first time offender, he had been engaged in similar conduct for almost three years. He stated the 15-year sentence was warranted to protect the public because Lo was a repeat and dangerous sex offender.
The charge against Lo was the result of an investigation conducted by the Marathon and Outagamie County Sheriffs’ Offices and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Marathon County Man Charged with Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin returned an indictment today charging Jacob L. Gould, 34, Weston, Wisconsin with drug crimes involving fentanyl and with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment alleges that twice on January 6, 2023, Gould possessed fentanyl with intent to distribute, and that one of the possessions with intent to distribute involved 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The indictment also charges that on January 6, 2023, Gould possessed a 9mm handgun and a loaded magazine, knowing he had been previously convicted of a felony offense.
If convicted, Gould faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison on the count alleging the possession of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 20 years on the second drug count, and 15 years on the gun count.
The charges against Gould are the result of an investigation by the FBI’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, comprised of investigators from the FBI, Everest Metro Police Department, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program, with the assistance of the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Madison Man Sentenced for Participating in Straw Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Isaiah Phillips, 18, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 60 days in jail for aiding and abetting a false statement during a purchase of a firearm. The period of incarceration will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Phillips pled guilty to this charge on March 14, 2023.
On June 2, 2022, law enforcement in Fitchburg began an investigation into illegal purchasing of firearms, known as “straw purchasing,” involving Phillips and two others.
On February 7, 2021, an individual purchased a Glock 19X in DeForest, Wisconsin, and represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when in fact she was not. She had actually purchased the firearm for Phillips, who was a friend of her boyfriend. Phillips is under the age of 21 and cannot legally purchase a handgun.
The Glock 19X was stolen from Phillips in March. Subsequently, Phillips asked this same individual to purchase a second firearm for him and on March 22, 2021, that individual purchased a Glock 17 at the same firearms store in DeForest and gave that handgun to Phillips. She again misrepresented that she was the actual purchaser of the firearm when she was actually buying the firearm for Phillips. On July 17, 2022, Phillips was arrested during a traffic stop and found in possession of the Glock 17.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson observed that Phillips was involved in “gun culture.” The judge’s decision to impose 60 days of jail time was driven by Phillips’s non-compliance on pretrial supervision. Judge Peterson remarked that he had “never had someone as defiant on pretrial supervision” as Phillips. The judge addressed that Phillips’s actions were irresponsible and that his behaviors are both “self-destructive and dangerous to the community.”
The charge against Phillips was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg, Madison, Monona, and Middleton Police Departments, Dane County Tactical Response Team, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn E. Ginsberg and Corey C. Stephan prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Repeat Drug Dealer from Mexico Sentenced to 15 Years After Being Caught with over 11 Pounds of Methamphetamine in La CrosseRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Juventino Lara Plancarte, 55, of Mexico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 15 years in federal prison for possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and maintaining a drug trafficking place. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Plancarte also forfeited $72,000 in drug proceeds seized by police. Plancarte pleaded guilty to this charge on March 14, 2023.
On January 20, 2022, La Crosse Police stopped a car in which Plancarte was a passenger, after it engaged in suspicious activity in an area of La Crosse known for drug trafficking. During the stop, a police dog trained in drug detection signaled that he detected the possible presence of illegal controlled substances in the trunk of the car. Officers then searched the car and found nearly 11 pounds of methamphetamine in a backpack that was in the trunk. Plancarte later acknowledged that the bag and drugs were his and that he was in La Crosse to sell the methamphetamine.
There were two other men in the car with Plancarte, and following the search of the car, investigators searched a home in Hudson, Wisconsin where the three men lived. There, Hudson Police and St Croix County Sheriff’s deputies found another nearly 300 grams of methamphetamine in Plancarte’s bedroom, along with $72,000 in another room and evidence that there had been larger quantities of methamphetamine divided up and repackaged at the home at some earlier time.
Plancarte is a Mexican citizen who had recently served a 12-year federal sentence for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in Idaho. When he was released from his sentence, he was deported back to Mexico in December 2019, but illegally returned to the United States to continue his drug trafficking activity in the Wisconsin/Minnesota area. The two other men who were in the car with Plancarte and whom he used to help drive him around and make deliveries, Armando Nieto and Emmanuel Sauceda, had no prior convictions for drug trafficking and were prosecuted on state drug charges in La Crosse and St. Croix Counties for their involvement in this case.
Judge Conley told Plancarte that the large quantity of methamphetamine combined with Plancarte’s fast return to the United States, illegally, in order to immediately pick up his drug distribution once again, warranted the 15-year sentence, especially in light of the fact that Plancarte was not deterred by serving a previous sentence of 12 years for the very same offense.
The charges against Plancarte were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Hudson Police Department, and St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Verona Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lazerek Austin, 19, Verona, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 30 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Austin pleaded guilty to this charge on February 24, 2023.
On May 31, 2022, Austin was convicted in Dane County Circuit Court of felony car theft, and he was released pending sentencing. Austin failed to appear at sentencing on July 20, 2022, at which time a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Over the course of that summer, law enforcement was monitoring the social media activities of a local street gang in response to retaliatory violence between it and another gang. Detectives found photographs and video of Austin in possession of several different firearms that were posted after he was convicted and failed to appear in court.
On August 17, 2022, detectives located Austin at an apartment in Middleton and arrested him. Inside of the apartment they located a handgun inside of a box in the closet. Austin’s DNA was found on that handgun.
Subsequent investigation found numerous pictures of Austin holding handguns, an AR15, an AK variant, and Glocks that had a full auto switch installed on them. Austin told detectives that one photo was of him holding five handguns that belonged to others. He admitted that he posed in those photos to look tough and said that he kept a gun for protection from others who thought that he did something to wrong them. Some of the photos involved Austin openly holding handguns and AR15’s in parking lots, and many showed him with guns in cars in Madison and Chicago.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson recognized that Austin was a very young man but said that he gave the court no option but to send him to prison because he was a danger to the community. Judge Peterson considered the nature of the photos that Austin posted as showing he was part of a group where he and his friends were reinforcing each other’s bad behavior, and that trajectory was that someone was going to get shot. In weighing the options of protecting the public versus rehabilitation, Judge Peterson said that the court had to stand up for the protection of the community. Austin was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
The charge against Austin was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg, Madison, and Middleton Police Departments, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Response Team, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Leading Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Winfield Agee, 36, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 15 years in prison for conspiring to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Agee pleaded guilty to this charge on January 26, 2023.
The government’s investigation revealed that Agee was the undisputed leader of a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing at least 50 kilograms of cocaine from Chicago to Madison between 2014 and 2020. As a result of his lucrative operation, Agee drove high-end cars, lived in posh luxury accommodations, and collected designer clothing, jewelry, shoes, and bags.
The investigation showed that beginning in approximately 2014, Agee, who resided in Chicago, began providing cocaine to various people, including several female associates, for redistribution around Madison. One source of information (SOI-1) reported that towards the end of 2014, she began transporting a kilogram of cocaine from Chicago to Madison twice per month for Agee. The arrangement between SOI-1 and the defendant continued for several years until SOI-1 was arrested in May 2018.
Another source of information (SOI-2) reported that she started transporting cocaine at Agee’s direction between Chicago and Madison beginning sometime in 2018. According to SOI-2, she was transporting a kilogram of cocaine a week to Madison in 2019 and 2020. SOI-2 recalled that Agee gave her very specific directions on how fast to drive, which lane to drive in, and what to do if she was stopped by the police. According to SOI-2, when she would arrive in Madison with the cocaine, she would wait for Agee to tell her where to deliver it.
On November 25, 2020, SOI-2 rented a car and drove to Agee’s home in Chicago to pick up a kilogram of cocaine. Surveillance footage revealed Agee putting a bag in SOI-2’s car outside of his apartment building. SOI-2 was in Chicago for less than 30 minutes. Madison Police officers stopped SOI-2 as she was driving in Madison and a search of her car revealed the kilogram of cocaine. SOI-2 reported that she had picked up the cocaine from Agee after she had collected money from one of his associates in Madison.
A third source of information (SOI-3) reported that she resided in the Madison area and beginning sometime in 2018, she would receive large quantities of cocaine from Agee that she would distribute to his associates in Madison. SOI-3 would pick up the cocaine from SOI-2 once it arrived in Madison.
All three sources of information described a similar method of operation used by Agee and his associates. Additionally, law enforcement agents were able to corroborate much of the information based on intercepted telephone communications and surveillances.
On December 3, 2020, officers executed a search warrant at Agee’s penthouse apartment in Chicago. During the search, officers found $6,041 in cash, key fobs for a Rolls Royce, and designer clothes, jewelry, shoes, and bags. Officers later located two vehicles belonging to the defendant in the parking garage of the apartment — a 2019 Rolls Royce SUV and a 2020 BMW M8.
The jewelry seized from Agee included a Patek Phillipe watch, a diamond bracelet, a diamond necklace, and diamond earrings. Based on an appraisal from a jewelry store, the total value of the four pieces of jewelry was $472,718.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson concluded that a significant sentence was warranted because Agee’s organization was responsible for bringing a tremendous amount of cocaine into Wisconsin for a significant period of time. Judge Peterson also noted that Agee’s extraordinary success as a drug trafficker allowed him to become wealthy by exploiting the illnesses of other people.
A total of eight individuals have been charged with and pleaded guilty to participating in the cocaine distribution scheme.
The charge against Agee is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Madison Police Department, and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Marathon County Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Methamphetamine Trafficking & Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lawrence E. Lavergne, 41, Wausau, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 9 years in federal prison for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Lavergne pleaded guilty to these charges on February 14, 2023.
On February 21, 2022, Lavergne sold 24 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in a hotel room in Rothschild.
Later that day, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers executed a search warrant at the same hotel room. When officers announced themselves at the door, Lavergne leapt out of the second story hotel room window. He was taken into custody and had over $7,000 in cash on him, including $500 in prerecorded buy money from the drug deal earlier that day. A total of 233 grams of methamphetamine were located in the hotel room along with drug trafficking paraphernalia.
The day after Lavergne’s arrest, a woman contacted law enforcement to report that there were two firearms at her house in Antigo, Wisconsin that she believed belonged to Lavergne. Officers responded and located a Hi-Point 9mm handgun, a Masterpiece Arms 9mm handgun, two loaded magazines, and a container with 9mm ammunition. Lavergne’s DNA was found on both handguns. Lavergne was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition based on multiple prior felony convictions. The firearms charge was filed in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, then transferred to the Western District when the defendant pleaded guilty.
At the time of these events, Lavergne was on state extended supervision in three separate cases, including a case involving drug trafficking and a case involving possessing a firearm as a felon. Lavergne’s supervision has since been revoked in those cases and he has been re-confined in state prison with an anticipated release date of July 16, 2023. Judge Conley ordered that Lavergne’s 9-year federal sentence start today and run concurrently with the remainder of his state sentences.
At sentencing, Judge Conley told Lavergne that nothing seemed to have changed since his last federal sentence (a 2011 federal conviction for distribution of crack cocaine) and his conduct now seemed to be worse given the inclusion of firearms. Judge Conley noted Lavergne had four state felony convictions since his prior federal offense.
The charges against Lavergne were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI's Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Marathon County Sheriff's Office, Portage County Sheriff's Office, Everest Metro Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson, Corey C. Stephan, and Daniel R. Humble (Eastern District of Wisconsin) prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Madison Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Larry Dotson, 41, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to five years in prison for attempted distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. Dotson pleaded guilty to this charge on November 1, 2022.
The government’s investigation revealed that Dotson purchased large amounts of cocaine from co-defendant Winfield Agee between 2018 and 2020. Dotson either drove to Chicago to pick up the cocaine or received it from one of Agee’s drug couriers in the Madison area.
On November 25, 2020, officers stopped a vehicle in Madison after the driver was seen meeting with Agee earlier that day in Chicago. Officers searched the vehicle and found one kilogram of cocaine. The subsequent investigation, including text messages between the driver and Dotson, revealed that the driver planned to deliver the cocaine to Dotson.
On January 12, 2022, officers went to an apartment building located at 2824 Landmark Place in Madison to arrest Dotson. When officers arrived, they observed Dotson in the parking lot transferring items from the trunk of one car to the trunk of another car. As officers approached Dotson, he pulled an item out of his pocket and threw it under a parked vehicle. Officers searched under the car and located approximately two grams of cocaine. During a search of Dotson’s vehicle, officers found $22,000. Officers also found $3,560 in Dotson’s coat pocket. As part of his plea agreement in the case, Dotson agreed to forfeit the seized cash to the United States because it was proceeds from drug trafficking.
After Dotson was arrested, officers executed a search warrant of his apartment at 2824 Landmark Place. During the search, officers found 79 grams of powder cocaine, 163 grams of crack cocaine, and 11 grams of methamphetamine.
A total of eight individuals have been charged with and pleaded guilty to participating in the cocaine distribution scheme. Agee’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 2, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
The charge against Dotson is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Madison Police Department, and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Grant County Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that James C. Gibson, 54, Fennimore, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 18 years in federal prison for using minors to engage in sexual activity and recording the activity. Judge Conley also ordered a life term of supervised release to follow the prison sentence. Gibson pleaded guilty to this charge on January 31, 2023.
In early November 2021, the mother of a minor born in 2010 contacted the Fennimore Police Department about inappropriate content she found on a phone that had been used by the minor. The investigation revealed that James Gibson had been regularly exchanging inappropriately affectionate messages with the minor. Law enforcement interviewed Gibson, who revealed that he previously had a video depicting child pornography on his phone. As a result, the officer seized Gibson’s phone and searched it pursuant to a warrant.
The search revealed that within Gibson’s phone were sexually explicit images of the minor, and those of a second minor, also born in 2010. In addition, the phone contained sexually explicit videos of unknown minors. After finding the images of the known minors, law enforcement interviewed them and both confirmed that the defendant took nude pictures of them at his residence in Fennimore. Finally, according to one of the minors, the defendant took nude pictures of them from the summer of 2020 through September 2021.
In sentencing Gibson, Judge Conley observed that the defendant groomed multiple 11 and 12-year old children by using their interests to get close to them, showered them with gifts, and paid for their phone and phone plans. Gibson then coerced two into producing child pornography, and sexually assaulted at least one of them. Judge Conley found that Gibson manipulated the victims and their families leading to abhorrent abuse, and that he posed a significant risk to minors in the community.
The charge against Gibson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fennimore Police Department, with the assistance of Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Office of the Grant County District Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Przybylinski Finn prosecuted this case.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Distributing Methamphetamine in Marathon CountyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anthony Anderson, 40, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Anderson pleaded guilty to this charge on January 20, 2023.
In August of 2021, law enforcement agents began a drug investigation into Anderson. On March 9, 2022, Anderson provided a confidential informant one ounce of methamphetamine in Wausau, Wisconsin. The following day, the informant met with Anderson and paid him $450 for the methamphetamine. After receiving the money, Anderson provided the informant an additional ounce of methamphetamine.
On August 1, 2022, at the direction of law enforcement, a second confidential informant contacted Anderson to arrange for the purchase of 10 ounces of methamphetamine. Later that day, Anderson met with the confidential informant in Wausau and sold them 10 ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $4,200.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson concluded that a significant sentence was warranted because Anderson had an extensive criminal history including two prior drug trafficking convictions. Judge Peterson also noted that the large quantity of methamphetamine sold by Anderson demonstrated that his overall level of drug trafficking had increased from the time of his prior convictions.
The charge against Anderson is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wausau Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Everest Metro Police Department, and Wisconsin’s National Guard Counterdrug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearms & AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Fitchburg, Wisconsin man is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in a one-count indictment returned on May 17, 2023, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
The indictment charges Calvin M. Henderson, Sr., 45, with possessing three handguns and ammunition on January 26, 2023, knowing that he previously had been convicted of a felony.
Henderson was arrested on Monday, May 22, in Madison by Fitchburg police officers and the U.S. Marshals Service. He made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison that day and remains in federal custody. His trial has been scheduled for August 21, 2023.
If convicted, Henderson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Fitchburg Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the prosecution.
You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Madison Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Roland J. Scott III, 21, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 8 years in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and maintaining a drug trafficking place. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Scott pleaded guilty to these charges on February 24, 2023.
Between September 15 and October 5, 2021, Scott sold heroin and fentanyl to an undercover officer in Madison on four separate occasions. On October 7, 2021, law enforcement searched his residence and found 110 grams of fentanyl packaged in individual baggies, ready for sale, and over $10,000 in cash. Scott was arrested during the search, and later charged in state court and released on bond. At the time of his arrest, he was on bond in eight different state cases.
Several months later, on June 30, 2022, Scott and two passengers were driving in a stolen car in Madison when they crashed into a truck with a trailer. Scott and his passengers battered the two individuals inside the pickup truck. While fleeing the scene, Scott and his passengers drove past the truck and one of them fired a shot at the victims.
The car crashed a few miles down the road and Scott was arrested shortly thereafter. He was found in possession of 657 grams of fentanyl mixed with heroin, over $9,000 in cash, and a Glock 9mm handgun. At this point, Scott was on bond for ten state cases.
At sentencing, Judge Conley explained that Scott was a danger to society given the large quantity of fentanyl he was trafficking and for possessing a loaded handgun while drug dealing. He said that the decisions Scott has made and continue to make have been disastrous.
The charges against Scott were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Dane County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn E. Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
La Crosse Woman Sentenced to 5 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kojoua Vu, 33, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Vu pleaded guilty to this charge on January 26, 2023.
On August 18, 2021, Vu sold an ounce, or approximately 28 grams, of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in La Crosse.
On October 28, 2021, law enforcement officers pulled over Vu’s car in La Crosse. She had a bag containing 30 grams of methamphetamine in her coat pocket, and a bag containing 195 grams of methamphetamine was found under the driver’s seat of the car. Vu admitted to possessing the methamphetamine and when officers told her that they had completed a controlled buy on her, she asked, “Was it three days ago?” This response led the officers to believe that Vu was still regularly selling methamphetamine.
Officers also executed a search warrant at the residence in Onalaska, Wisconsin where Vu was believed to be living with her boyfriend. Additional methamphetamine, a large quantity of cash, and drug trafficking paraphernalia were found at the residence.
At the time of these events, Vu was on state supervision for a prior felony state methamphetamine trafficking conviction and out on bond for an open felony state case that alleged maintaining a drug trafficking home and possessing methamphetamine. Vu’s supervision was revoked in August of 2022, and she was ordered to serve 2 years, 3 months, and 29 days in state prison. Judge Conley ordered that Vu’s federal sentence run concurrently with the remainder of her state sentence.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted that Vu was already on state supervision for methamphetamine trafficking at the time she engaged in the conduct charged in this federal case.
The charge against Vu was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse, Onalaska, and Campbell Police Departments and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. The La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Aaron D. Wegner prosecuted this case.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Missouri Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography
Ryan A. Campbell, 46, Richmond, Missouri, is charged with one count of producing child pornography. The indictment alleges that on August 14, 2020, Campbell used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct.
Campbell was charged with this offense in a sealed complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on May 8, 2023. The complaint alleged that he was staying at a residence in Amery, Wisconsin at the time the offense occurred.
Campbell was arrested on May 10 in Kansas City, Missouri. He appeared in federal court in Missouri and was ordered held in federal custody. A date for his initial appearance in Wisconsin has not been set.
If convicted, Campbell faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Wisconsin and Missouri, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas City Police Department and Jackson County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri handled Campbell’s appearance in federal court there.
Texas Woman Charged with Fraud Scheme & Tax Evasion
Sarah Doherty, also known as Sarah McKibbin, 33, Azle, Texas, is charged with eleven counts of wire fraud and four counts of tax evasion as part of a scheme to defraud that occurred between November 2016 and October 2020. The indictment alleges that a business owner hired Doherty to provide services for the business, named in the indictment as Business-1, and that in 2015, Doherty formed an S-corporation, Faith Outdoor Consulting, LLC, to facilitate the relationship with the business. The indictment alleges that Doherty used her access to the financial information of the business and its owner to defraud the business of approximately $3.43 million, and that she told the business’s bookkeepers and its outside accountant that the money was spent on business expenses, when she actually used the money to pay her personal expenses.
The indictment also alleges that Doherty attempted to evade income taxes owed to the United States by submitting to the IRS a false and fraudulent Form 1040 for calendar years 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and by submitting a false and fraudulent Form 1120-S for Faith Outdoor Consulting, LLC, for calendar years 2017, 2018, and 2019. The indictment alleges that these tax forms substantially understated her gross income and concealed gross income by disguising it as business expenses for Business-1.
If convicted, Doherty faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count, and 5 years in prison on each tax evasion count. The charges against her are the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fall River Police Department, and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Rogelio Bautista Bautista, 36, a citizen of Mexico found living in Abbotsford, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally reentering the United States. The indictment alleges that he was found in the United States on May 8, 2023, after previously having been deported and removed.
If convicted, Bautista Bautista faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result on an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin is handling the prosecution.
Milwaukee Man Charged with Escape
Floyd L. Marlow, Jr., 28, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is charged with escape. The indictment alleges that on February 20, 2023, he escaped from the Rock Valley Community Programs Center in Janesville, Wisconsin.
If convicted, Marlow faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Matthew J. Yancey, 23, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Yancey pled guilty to this charge on February 24, 2023.
Between June 13 and July 20, 2022, Yancey sold methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Madison, including a sale on July 7 that totaled 55.6 grams. Following Yancey’s arrest, officers searched the residence where he was staying and found fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson stated that protection of the public “is the primary driver” of his sentence. The judge addressed the gravity of the conduct, calling this a “serious drug crime.” The judge remarked that Yancey had an “unrelenting criminal history.” The judge observed that Yancey had not “demonstrated yet a real ability to succeed in the community.” This is Yancey’s second federal conviction.
The charges against Yancey were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Dane County Narcotics Task Force. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn E. Ginsberg.
Thirty-Month Sentence for EscapeeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Glynn Ford, 35, Jackson, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 30 months in federal prison for escaping from a federal correctional institution, specifically, FCI-Oxford located in Oxford, Wisconsin. Ford pleaded guilty to this offense on January 26, 2023.
On March 26, 2019, Ford was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison after being convicted of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in the Northern District of Illinois. Ford was in custody at FCI-Oxford’s Satellite Camp and on April 23, 2022, was missing during a regular count of inmates. Ford was arrested in Chula Vista, California on October 12, 2022, in connection with a retail theft offense. Ford will serve the 30-month sentence consecutively to the remainder of his previous federal sentence.
The charge against Ford was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, with the assistance of local authorities in California. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Former Buffalo County Post Office Employee Sentenced to Probation for Misappropriation of Postal FundsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. –Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Megan Torrez, 45, Alma, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 3-years of federal probation for misappropriation of postal funds. Torrez was also ordered to pay $26,930.70 in restitution to the United States Postal Service.
Torrez was employed by the U. S. Postal Service in June 2021, as a Postal Support Employee in Nelson, Wisconsin. Her assigned duties included conducting postal business with the public and performing financial accounting functions to report the sales of postage, money orders and other items. When postage and money order stock were sold, she was responsible for collecting money from those sales and remitting that money to the bank. Between August 2021 and February 2022, Torrez manipulated postal funds accessible to her in her position at the Nelson Post Office by issuing postal money orders to herself and family members and paying with personal checks that she admitted had insufficient funds to clear her bank. Postal money orders may only be purchased with cash, debit card, or traveler’s check, and no personal checks are accepted by the Postal Service.
In January 2022, the Office of Inspector General received information about the checks written by Torrez to the Postal Service that were returned as “non-sufficient funds.” At the time of their investigation, thirty-two checks were outstanding for over $26,000 in postal money orders. The money orders that Torrez issued to herself and her family were used to pay for her family’s personal expenses. Torrez claimed that her decision to use postal funds to pay for her family’s bills was out of desperation when her husband lost his job during the pandemic.
The charge against Torrez was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Attempted "Straw" Firearm Purchaser Sentenced to One Year in PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Taylor A. Kratochwill-Loomis, 22, DeForest, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in prison for making false statements while attempting to purchase a firearm for a prohibited person. This is commonly known as a “straw purchase.” Kratochwill-Loomis pled guilty to this offense on January 18, 2023.
On November 30, 2021, Kratochwill-Loomis entered Top Pack Defense, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin and attempted to purchase a Glock handgun for Deontrae McIntosh, who was prohibited from purchasing a handgun because of his age and the fact that he was facing felony charges in Wisconsin State court. Her attempted transaction was video recorded through the store’s surveillance system. On the required purchase forms, Kratochwill-Loomis falsely stated that she was purchasing the firearm for herself and not for another person. McIntosh also pled guilty to attempting to obtain a firearm using false statements—through Kratochwill-Loomis—and was sentenced to five years of probation on March 22, 2023.
Top Pack Defense Staff refused to sell the firearm, correctly suspecting that Kratochwill-Loomis was attempting to purchase the handgun for another person. Immediately following that failed attempt, Kratochwill-Loomis and McIntosh, who was waiting in a car outside, went to the Cabela’s store in Sun Prairie, where Kratochwill-Loomis again tried to purchase a Glock handgun for McIntosh. Sun Prairie police investigators interrupted the second purchase attempt at Cabela’s, interviewing and ultimately arresting Kratochwill-Loomis and McIntosh.
In sentencing Kratochwill-Loomis, Judge Conley stated, “Gun violence is out of control. Straw purchasers fuel the problem by placing firearms in the hands of prohibited persons.”
U.S. Attorney O’Shea said, “Each week we learn anew—over and over and over—about the danger guns pose when they fall into the wrong hands. Straw purchasers, those who lie to obtain firearms for others, are part of the problem. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, together with our law enforcement partners and in cooperation with licensed firearm dealers, has zero tolerance for straw purchasers who buy or attempt to buy firearms for people who cannot legally purchase them.”
The charges against Kratochwill-Loomis and McIntosh were the result of an investigation conducted by Sun Prairie Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney O’Shea prosecuted this case.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 29 Months for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Anthony James, 39, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 29 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony. James pleaded guilty to this charge on February 10, 2023.
On April 3, 2022, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle driven by James in La Crosse County for suspended registration and illegal window tint. The trooper noticed an odor of marijuana coming from the car and conducted a search of the vehicle. During the search, the trooper recovered a .22 caliber Sterling handgun from a lockbox that was opened using a key from James’ keyring that was in the ignition of the car.
James’s prior felony convictions include a 2018 conviction in Sheboygan County for felony strangulation/suffocation and Illinois felony convictions for forgery and retail theft. James also was under state supervision for prior convictions in Kenosha and Ozaukee Counties at the time of his arrest.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged that aggravating factors in determining a sentence were James’s voluminous criminal history and, specifically, his domestic abuse related strangulation conviction in 2018, which raised special concern about his unlawful possession of a firearm. However, the judge considered that the gun was not loaded, in a locked container, and was not used or possessed in connection with any other offense.
The charge against James was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
United States Attorney Statement on Death of St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie LeisingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – “My entire office and I join with all Wisconsinites in expressing our deepest sympathy to the family, friends, and law enforcement colleagues of St. Croix County Deputy Kaitie Leising,” said Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Deputy Leising gave her life to protect and serve the people of St. Croix County. Her sacrifice will not be forgotten.”
“This tragic loss comes just four weeks after we mourned the deaths of Chetek Police Officer Emily Breidenbach and Cameron Police Officer Hunter Scheel,” U.S. Attorney O’Shea said. “Every day, law enforcement officers throughout Wisconsin selflessly answer the call to service, knowing that at any moment they may be in harm’s way. They deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our support.”
The death of Deputy Leising has occurred at the beginning of National Police Week, a series of remembrances and events from May 9 through May 15. Attorney General Merrick Garland and leaders of federal law enforcement agencies will lay wreaths at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C. There will be a candlelight vigil at the Memorial on Saturday, May 13, and the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service will take place on Monday, May 15. The annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will take place at the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Memorial on the State Capitol Grounds on Friday, May 19, 2023.
Former Licensed Registered Nurse Agrees to Plead Guilty to Product Tampering ChargeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the filing of an information and plea agreement charging Dawn Drum, 54, Janesville, Wisconsin, with product tampering while employed as a Registered Nurse at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Janesville in November 2021.
According to the information and plea agreement filed today, Drum tampered with vials of fentanyl by withdrawing the drug from the vials and replacing it with saline and then resealing the vial stopper with what appeared to be superglue. Drum then put the tampered vials back into a Pyxis machine, an automated medication dispensing system, so that the tampered fentanyl vials would be available for use with other patients at the hospital. An audit of the Pyxis transactions in Drum’s name revealed that she had an excessive pattern of fentanyl overrides and wastes when compared to other employees in 2021. In November 2021, hospital management confronted Drum with this discrepancy and asked her to take a drug test. Drum refused and instead resigned from her position at the hospital.
According to the plea agreement, the parties are recommending the Court impose a sentence of 18 months imprisonment and a fine of $30,000 due and payable immediately at sentencing. A date for Drum’s plea hearing has not been scheduled. The statutory maximum penalties for the product tampering charge are 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges against Drum were the result of an investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration--Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration--Diversion Control Division. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.
Madison Man Sentenced to 30 Months for Receiving Stolen GunRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Aidan Johnson, 20, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 30 months in federal prison for receiving a stolen firearm. Johnson pleaded guilty to this charge on March 14, 2023. This prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.
On March 11, 2022, Johnson stole a Glock 19x from another person. Johnson possessed the firearm until June 3, 2022, when he was arrested. Throughout that period, Johnson posted photos and videos on social media of himself with the firearm.
In imposing the 30-month sentence, Judge Peterson balanced Johnson’s youth and potential with the dangers he posed to the community. Judge Peterson described the image that Johnson had been presenting throughout his social media as a “fantasy of this life dealing drugs” and “being a gangster.” In addressing Johnson, Judge Peterson stated that path “is not romantic or a way to have a good life.” Judge Peterson concluded his sentencing with the hope that Johnson finds a “peaceful, kind, and productive way of being in the community.”
The charge against Aidan Johnson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department, the Madison Police Department, the Middleton Police Department, and the Dane County Tactical Response Team. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn E. Ginsberg and Corey C. Stephan prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Weston Man Sentenced to 137 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ryan P. Murray, 45, Weston, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 137 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 8 years of supervised release. Murray pleaded guilty to this charge on January 31, 2023.
On January 10, 2022, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a report of a one vehicle crash. The driver, Murray, had left the scene of the crash and was found some distance away. Next to Murray, deputies located a bag that contained 291 grams of methamphetamine. Deputies located a loaded Glock 9mm handgun along the path Murray had travelled leaving the crash scene. Within Murray’s crashed vehicle, deputies found a Kel-Tec rifle, ten loaded extended magazines, and a suppressor.
At the time of this incident, Murray had five active arrest warrants and had nine open state criminal cases, including four involving possessing a firearm as a felon and another involving substantial battery. Murray has since been convicted and sentenced in many of his state cases and is currently serving multiple state prison sentences with an anticipated release date of February 16, 2028. As it relates to the firearms involved in this case, Murray was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon in Lincoln County Circuit Court Case No. 2022CF14 on April 11, 2022, and was sentenced to 180 days in county jail. Judge Peterson ordered Murray’s 137-month federal sentence run concurrently to the remainder of his state prison sentences and to any sentences imposed on his still pending cases.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that the protection of the public was the primary driver of the sentence in this case. He highlighted Murray’s nearly unrelenting pattern of criminality for over 25 years and that Murray was a drug dealer who goes heavily armed. Murray’s history of guns, violence, and drug trafficking represented a clear danger to the community.
The charge against Murray was the result of an investigation conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Rockford Man Charged with Drug Crimes
Vincent Phillips, 41, Rockford, Illinois, is charged in an eight-count indictment with drug crimes involving methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. The indictment alleges that on February 18, 2023, he possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that on three occasions between April 4 and April 20, 2023, he distributed methamphetamine. The indictment further alleges that two of the distributions involved 50 grams or more of the drug. The indictment also alleges that on April 20, 2023, Phillips possessed cocaine with intent to distribute, and that he possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
If convicted, Phillips faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison on the four charges that allege the distribution or possession for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The other four charges each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Phillips was arrested on April 20 and is being held at the Sauk County Jail. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Two Mexican Nationals Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
In unrelated cases, two citizens of Mexico are charged with illegally reentering the United States. Marcos Xelhua-Ponce, 30, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. The indictment alleges that he was found in the Western District of Wisconsin on February 15, 2023. He was found in Dane County.
The second indictment charges Noe Mendoza-Caballero, 39, with reentering the United States after being removed. The indictment alleges that Mendoza-Caballero was found in the Western District of Wisconsin on March 27, 2023. He was found in Monroe County.
If convicted, Xelhua-Ponce faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison, and Mendoza-Caballero faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Immigration offenses may carry different maximum penalties based on the totality of circumstances in each case. The charges against them are the result of investigations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the participation of the U.S. Marshals Service in the investigation of Xelhua-Ponce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution of Xelhua-Ponce and Assistant. U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson is handling the prosecution of Mendoza-Caballero.
Rusk County Man Sentenced to 18 Months for False Statements to Federal Agencies Regarding Non-Citizen WorkersRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Bruce, Wisconsin man was sentenced today for making false materials statements to the U.S. Department of Labor and to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security concerning foreign workers. The sentencing is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Alfredo Aguilar, 52, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to eighteen months in prison. Aguilar was ordered to pay restitution to the non-citizen workers in the amount of $1,144,693.56 and a civil penalty in the amount of $210,696.39. Aguilar pleaded guilty to these charges on January 13, 2023 and has paid over the full fine and restitution for the immigrant workers.
From 2015 until December 2018, Aguilar was a co-owner of Northwoods Forestry, Inc., a business based in Eleva, Wisconsin. Aguilar recruited workers from Mexico and Central America, known as H-2B workers, to work in forestry by planting and caring for trees and clearing and developing woodland. Through the H-2B program, employers are permitted to hire temporary workers from other countries to perform labor to address one-time, seasonal, intermittent, or peak needs. Northwoods Forestry agents made statements and attestations under oath to the Department of Labor and USCIS regarding the type of work the workers would do and the wages they would receive.
Aguilar admitted that he placed Northwoods Forestry H-2B workers with non-forestry employers, including in meat packing, construction, roofing, agriculture, painting, fur processing, and landscaping businesses, and that he assured those employers that the H-2B employees could legally work at their businesses when he knew that was not true. Aguilar also admitted that Northwoods Forestry did not pay the workers the highest applicable wages, did not pay the workers overtime, deducted the cost of safety boots from the wages of employees sent to work in meat packing, and deducted expenses and subsistence for transportation to and from the United States from the H-2B employees’ pay, all contrary to their sworn statements to the Department of Labor.
“My office is committed to holding accountable those who exploit vulnerable workers,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “We will continue to work with the Department of Labor and our other law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute such offenses.”
“Alfredo Aguilar and co-conspirators made false statements to the U.S. Department of Labor in order to fraudulently obtain H-2B work visas. Aguilar and his co-conspirators failed to pay the required prevailing wages to the foreign workers he employed pursuant to that program. Today’s sentencing is an affirmation of our efforts, along with those of our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, to pursue individuals who abuse the H-2B program for financial gain,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“The Wage and Hour Division’s investigation that led to this result is a significant accomplishment on behalf of workers seeking to use the nonimmigrant visa programs. The resulting collaboration with our federal criminal law enforcement was nothing short of seamless and outstanding,” explained Wage and Hour Regional Administrator Michael Lazzeri in Chicago. “The widespread placement of workers in unapproved job classifications and falsification of payment records during the investigation by this employer demonstrated a reckless disregard for the respective visa program. Today the victims have been made whole through restitution and this egregious employer has been debarred from participation in the H-2B Visa program for the next five years. Employers who seek to abuse these programs should take note of this result and reconsider.”
The investigation in this matter was conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and Wage and Hour Division, with assistance from the U.S. Department of State and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. U.S. Attorney O’Shea and Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger handled the prosecution.
Stevens Point Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Unlawful Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lorenzo Miner, 30, Stevens Point, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to six years in federal prison for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony. Miner pleaded guilty to this charge on November 21, 2022.
On January 12, 2022, the Stevens Point Police Department was looking for Miner as part of a state investigation and observed him leaving a hotel and walking to a car, carrying an AR15 rifle partially concealed under a bathrobe. A detective drew his handgun, pointed it at the defendant, and told him that he was under arrest. Miner denied having a gun – he had already placed it in the vehicle - and refused to comply with the officer’s commands. The detective tried to gain control of him, but the defendant punched the detective in the face. After a very physical struggle the defendant was eventually taken into custody. Police searched the vehicle and recovered the unloaded AR15 in the backseat. The defendant had felony convictions for burglary, bail jumping, and drug trafficking.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson acknowledged both the aggravating facts of this case and the defendant’s significant criminal history, concluding that a long period of imprisonment was necessary to protect the public.
The charge against Miner was the result of an investigation conducted by the Stevens Point Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Aiming Laser at AircraftRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Nicholas James Link, 43, Rochester, Minnesota was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to two years in prison for aiming a laser at an aircraft. Link pleaded guilty to this charge on January 12, 2023.
On the night of October 29, 2021, pilots with Delta Air Lines reported to the Minneapolis – Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) that they had just been struck by a laser. They were flying an Airbus A319 on a commercial flight from Raleigh-Durham to Minneapolis when, at an altitude of 9,000 feet and just west of River Falls, Wisconsin, the cockpit was lit up three times by a blue laser. At the time they had just been instructed by air traffic control to change runways at MSP. The laser strikes caused a major distraction in the cockpit as they were not able to look at their iPads to brief the new approach.
The pilots were eventually able to brief and transition to the new runway approach and safely land the aircraft. The first officer did not suffer any disruption to his vision, but the captain said that vision in his right eye was affected for several hours after this event.
Air traffic control called a Minnesota State Patrol aircraft, which flew to River Falls to investigate. The State Patrol pilots circled the area at 3,500 feet and their aircraft was also struck by a blue laser. Using the aircraft’s surveillance equipment, they were able to identify the suspect, coordinate with local law enforcement, and maintain a visual on the defendant until officers contacted him. The State Patrol pilots recorded this event using their surveillance camera.
River Falls police officers contacted the defendant and found a blue laser on his person. He said that he was shining the laser at a drone but did not believe it was an aircraft because it stayed very still. He then pointed to the Minnesota State Patrol aircraft. Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, are considered aircraft under federal law.
The pilot for the Delta Air Lines flight provided a statement to the Court. The captain has been a commercial airline pilot for 28 years with over 25,000 hours of logged flight hours. During their descent into MSP the cockpit was suddenly illuminated by a bright blue light. The captain described that the approach into an airport is considered a critical phase of any flight with a high workload. Because this particular approach also required a runway change, they had to reprogram their flight computers, consult the approach charts, and establish the course and descent into the new runway.
It was at that precise moment that they were struck by the laser. The captain noted the “sheer brightness” and compared it to “suddenly turning on all the lights in a dark room.” The pilots immediately shifted their priority to protecting their eyes, with the first officer using his iPad as a shield instead of using it to brief the approach. The captain wrote that “[o]ne minor mistake during this critical phase could have led to catastrophic results.” The defendant’s action caused a severe safety threat to the safety of the crew and all passengers on board the aircraft.
At sentencing, Judge Conley remarked on Link’s extensive criminal record which included numerous domestic assaults. Judge Conley also discredited the defendant’s argument that it was not commonly known that aiming a laser at aircraft was dangerous. The defendant wrote in his sentencing memorandum that there were almost 10,000 reports of laser strikes on aircraft each of the past two years. Judge Conley said that these incidents are frequently reported in the news, so the danger is commonly known. Judge Conley also mentioned an arrest in 2017 where the defendant shined and strobed a handheld flashlight in the eyes of the arresting officer, saying that incident was similar to the defendant’s conduct in this case. Judge Conley called aiming a laser at an aircraft incredibly dangerous and reckless, and in this case forced the Delta pilots to focus on their temporary blindness which put everyone on the aircraft in incredible danger.
The charge against Link was the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota State Patrol, River Falls Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to 5 Years for Trafficking Methamphetamine in MadisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Julio Alvarez Sanchez, 39, Mexico, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 5 years in federal prison for distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Alvarez Sanchez pleaded guilty to this charge on December 19, 2022.
Alvarez Sanchez brought methamphetamine from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Madison and provided it to Juana Armenta Mora. On April 4, 2022, Armenta Mora sold 973 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Madison.
On April 14, 2022, Alvarez Sanchez met with the confidential informant in a parking lot in Madison for an additional methamphetamine deal. The defendant provided the confidential informant with a toolbox containing 6.77 kilograms of methamphetamine. Alvarez Sanchez was arrested following the drug deal.
Alvarez Sanchez subsequently was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted to participating in the April 2022 deliveries, as well as additional deliveries of methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that this was a serious crime because of the very large quantity of methamphetamine involved and because Alvarez Sanchez admitted to dealing methamphetamine on additional occasions. In arriving at the five-year sentence, Judge Peterson weighed these aggravating factors against Alvarez Sanchez’s limited prior criminal record.
Juana Armenta Mora pleaded guilty on September 8, 2022 to distributing methamphetamine. She was sentenced on December 22, 2022 to 15 months in federal prison.
The charge against Alvarez Sanchez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Jefferson County Drug Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn E. Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
Kansas Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jimmy Castillo, 24, Topeka, Kansas, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to four years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On February 19, 2022, based on information received during the course of a drug investigation, police officers approached Castillo as he exited a hotel in Onalaska, Wisconsin. Castillo was wearing a grey backpack at the time. After detaining Castillo and removing his backpack, officers asked him if he had anything illegal on him. Castillo looked at the backpack. After a drug dog indicated the presence of drugs, officers searched the backpack and found approximately 15.5 pounds of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley stated that Castillo possessed a “massive” amount of methamphetamine and its delivery into the community would have caused major ripple effects. Judge Conley noted that Castillo admitted to officers that he had transported methamphetamine on two occasions prior to his arrest. Judge Conley also noted it was a mitigating factor that Castillo had no prior criminal history.
The charge against Castillo is the result of a joint investigation by the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office, Onalaska Police Department, and the Town of Campbell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner prosecuted this case.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 172 Months for Methamphetamine Trafficking & Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jade Deeny, 26, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 172 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a felon. This prison term will be followed by an eight-year period of supervised release.
On June 6, 2022, a confidential informant (CI) worked with investigators from the La Crosse Police Department (LCPD) and purchased cocaine and prescription pills from Deeny. During the drug transaction, investigators overheard Deeny and the CI discuss an assault rifle and a 9 mm pistol.
Shortly after the CI left Deeny’s residence, surveillance officers watched Deeny and a female drive away from the house. Officers stopped the car and arrested Deeny.
Following Deeny’s arrest, an investigator from the LCPD obtained a search warrant for his house. During the search, investigators found three firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, high-capacity magazines, and a taser. Investigators also located pounds of counterfeit prescription pills, a scale, empty vegetable capsules, a vacuum sealer, U.S. Postal Service (USPS) shipping boxes, cash, and a lease to self-storage unit.
Investigators eventually obtained a search warrant for Deeny’s storage unit and found that it contained a motorized pill press with a mixer and ventilation unit, tablet presses, 350 pounds of different colored cutting agents, gallons of acetone and ethyl alcohol, 135 pounds of counterfeit prescription pills in various colors, two firearms, ammunition, a high-capacity magazine, and thousands of additional USPS shipping boxes.
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with the review of Deeny’s computer and discovered evidence that showed he shipped hundreds of packages to people in 46 different states, as well as Puerto Rico.
Testing by the Drug Enforcement Administration determined that pills located in Deeny’s residence and storage unit contained methamphetamine, bromazolam, and other substances.
In sentencing Deeny, Judge Conley focused on the danger that Deeny posed to the community. Judge Conly noted that some of the prescription pills Deeny manufactured contained substances not yet scheduled in the United States. Judge Conley also highlighted Deeny’s continued possession of firearms, despite his prior felony convictions.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence.
The charges against Deeny were the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Grand Jury Returns Two IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Madison Man Indicted on Charge of Firebombing Building
Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with attempting to cause damage to a building by means of fire or an explosive. The indictment alleges that he did so on May 8, 2022. Roychowdhury was previously charged with this offense in a complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on March 27, 2023. Federal law requires that felony offenses charged by complaint be presented to a grand jury for indictment.
Roychowdhury was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts at Logan International Airport on March 28. He made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston that day. A detention hearing was held on March 30, and he was ordered held in custody. A date for his appearance in federal court in Madison has not been set.
If convicted, Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department; Wisconsin State Capitol Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force; Homeland Security Investigations; Dane County Sheriff’s Office; with the assistance of the FBI Boston Field Office; Boston Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Coast Guard; Federal Air Marshal Service, and Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman of the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the Counterterrorism Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division are handling the prosecution.
Rock County Man Charged with Robbing Madison Bank
Richard L. Chapman, 65, Janesville, Wisconsin, is charged with bank robbery. The indictment alleges that on February 3, 2023, he robbed the Park Bank, located on East Main Street in Madison, Wisconsin.
If convicted, Chapman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the prosecution.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Possessing Methamphetamine for DistributionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Shakur Antwan Clayton, 28, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 78 months in prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. This prison term will be followed by a four-year period of supervised release.
On May 16, 2022, an inspector from the Wisconsin State Patrol stopped a vehicle in Monroe County, Wisconsin for speeding. The driver, later identified as Clayton, claimed he did not have a driver’s license and gave the inspector a false name. The inspector also smelled marijuana and saw a marijuana blunt in the center console. When the inspector asked Clayton to step out of the car, he sped off at a high rate of speed. Law enforcement pursued the car before it lost control, crossed into the median, and rolled into the opposite lane of traffic. Clayton crawled out of the car and fled on foot. As law enforcement approached Clayton, he reached into his waistband, pulled out a plastic bag, ripped it open, and threw the contents into the air.
Laboratory testing determined that the substance Clayton discarded was 179 grams of pure methamphetamine. Clayton admitted that he intended to distribute the methamphetamine to someone in the Western District of Wisconsin.
The charge against Clayton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mario Johnson, 38, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 60 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Johnson pleaded guilty to this charge on September 14, 2022.
From May 2021 to August 2021, law enforcement agents conducted four controlled buys of methamphetamine from Johnson. The combined amount of methamphetamine from these controlled buys totaled over one pound.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley stated that Johnson had become involved in “serious drug dealing” for financial reasons and took note of Johnson’s prior criminal history, which included domestic abuse offenses. Ultimately, Judge Conley imposed a 60-month prison term followed by a four-year term of supervised release. He urged Johnson to use his time in prison to seek programming for his mental health, substance abuse, and anger management issues.
The charge against Johnson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Sun Prairie Police Department. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron Wegner and Anita Marie Boor prosecuted this case.
Wisconsin Man Charged with Firebombing BuildingRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man was arrested today on a charge related to the May 2022 firebombing of a Madison office building.
According to court documents, Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, of Madison, is charged with one count of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive. Roychowdhury was arrested earlier today in Boston.
“According to the complaint, Mr. Roychowdhury used an incendiary device in violation of federal law in connection with his efforts to terrorize and intimidate a private organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “I commend the commitment and professionalism of law enforcement personnel who worked exhaustively to ensure that justice is served.”
“This group of local and federal law enforcement officers has worked, with the federal prosecutors, diligently and creatively to move the investigation forward,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “This case is an example of the results law enforcement can achieve when local and federal law investigators work as a team.”
“Violence is never an acceptable way for anyone to express their views or their disagreement,” said Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Today’s arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to vigorously pursue those responsible for this dangerous attack and others across the country, and to hold them accountable for their criminal actions.”
According to the complaint, on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2022, at approximately 6:06 a.m., law enforcement responded to an active fire at an office building located in Madison, Wisconsin. Once inside the building, police observed a mason jar under a broken window; the jar was broken, and the lid and screw top were burned black. The police also saw a purple disposable lighter near the mason jar. On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top; the cloth was singed. The jar was about half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant. Outside of the building, someone spray painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” and, on another wall, a large “A” with a circle around it and the number “1312.” During the investigation, law enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the attack.
In March 2023, law enforcement identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect. Local police officers observed Roychowdhury dispose of food in a public trash can; the officers recovered the leftover food and related items, and law enforcement collected DNA from the food. On March 17, 2023, law enforcement advised that a forensic biologist examined the DNA evidence recovered from the attack scene and compared it to the DNA collected from the food contents. The forensic biologist found the two samples matched and likely were the same individual.
In March 2023, Roychowdhury travelled from Madison, Wisconsin, to Portland, Maine, and he purchased a one-way ticket from Boston to Guatemala City, departing this morning. Law enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan International Airport. Roychowdhury will have a detention hearing in Boston.
Roychowdhury is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston today. A date for his appearance in federal court in Madison has not been set.
If convicted, Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.
The Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Capitol Police Department, ATF, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, with assistance provided by the FBI Boston Field Office, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck for the District of Massachusetts handled the appearance in Boston.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Madison Man Charged with Firebombing BuildingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Madison, Wisconsin man was arrested today on a charge related to the May 2022 firebombing of a Madison office building.
According to court documents, Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, is charged with one count of attempting to cause damage by means of fire or an explosive. Roychowdhury was arrested earlier today in Boston, Massachusetts.
“According to the complaint, Mr. Roychowdhury used an incendiary device in violation of federal law in connection with his efforts to terrorize and intimidate a private organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “I commend the commitment and professionalism of law enforcement personnel who worked exhaustively to ensure that justice is served.”
“This group of local and federal law enforcement officers has worked, with the federal prosecutors, diligently and creatively to move the investigation forward,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin. “This case is an example of the results law enforcement can achieve when local and federal law investigators work as a team.”
Madison Police Chief Shon F. Barnes said, “For months, our detectives remained committed to finding those responsible for this arson. When tips and leads were limited, they never gave up. Their persistence is proof that hateful acts do not have a place in Madison. I applaud their work and want to thank our federal partners for all of their help leading up to this arrest.”
“I’m very proud of the tireless and determined efforts the combined federal, state and local team put in to identify and arrest this individual,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge William McCrary of the St. Paul Field Division. “I can assure you, our ATF Certified Fire Investigator invested long hours into this case. It is very satisfying to me to see that this alleged perpetrator has been placed in custody.”
“The FBI conducts investigations when someone crosses the line from expression of protected personal beliefs to violations of federal law,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “We remained vigilant during this investigation and worked with our law enforcement partners to methodically and thoroughly address every aspect of this act of violence. The arrest today represents these efforts and highlights the work done by law enforcement to protect the safety of our citizens.”
According to the complaint, on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8, 2022, at approximately 6:06 a.m., law enforcement responded to an active fire at an office building located in Madison, Wisconsin. Once inside the building, police observed a mason jar under a broken window; the jar was broken, and the lid and screw top were burned black. The police also saw a purple disposable lighter near the mason jar. On the opposite wall from the window, the police saw another mason jar with the lid on and a blue cloth tucked into the top; the cloth was singed. The jar was about half full of a clear fluid that smelled like an accelerant. Outside of the building, someone spray painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” and, on another wall, a large “A” with a circle around it and the number “1312.” During the investigation, law enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the attack.
In March 2023, law enforcement identified Roychowdhury as a possible suspect. Local police officers observed Roychowdhury dispose of food in a public trash can; the officers recovered the leftover food and related items, and law enforcement collected DNA from the food. On March 17, 2023, law enforcement advised that a forensic biologist examined the DNA evidence recovered from the attack scene and compared it to the DNA collected from the food contents. The forensic biologist found the two samples matched and likely were the same individual.
In March 2023, Roychowdhury travelled from Madison, Wisconsin, to Portland, Maine, and he purchased a one-way ticket from Boston to Guatemala City, departing Tuesday morning, March 28, 2023. Law enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan International Airport. Roychowdhury will have a detention hearing in Boston.
Roychowdhury is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston today. A date for his appearance in federal court in Madison has not been set.
If convicted, Roychowdhury faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department, Wisconsin State Capitol Police Department, ATF, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the FBI Boston Field Office, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Air Marshal Service, and Transportation Security Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beck for the District of Massachusetts handled the appearance in Boston.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Christopher Bell, 37, of Lumberton, North Carolina, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in prison for receiving child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Bell pleaded guilty to this offense on January 3, 2023.
Beginning in approximately November 2020, Bell began exchanging sexually explicit messages with Minor A via Snapchat. During the conversations, he repeatedly asked her to send him sexually explicit images in exchange for money. Minor A ultimately send an explicit image of herself. Judge Conley found that the defendant enticed and manipulated Minor A into sending the image.
The charge against Bell was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Superseding Indictment Charges River Falls Man with Sex and Labor Trafficking, Production of Child Pornography & Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging a River Falls, Wisconsin man with labor and sex trafficking, production of child pornography, and money laundering.
The superseding nine-count indictment charges Austin Koeckeritz, 29, with forced labor, sex trafficking by force, sex trafficking of a minor, interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, producing child pornography and three counts of money laundering.
The indictment alleges that between August 2020 and August 2022, Koeckeritz used force to cause an adult to engage in forced labor and that he used force to cause this person to engage in commercial sex acts. The indictment further alleges that he recruited, enticed, transported, and maintained a minor, knowing she would be caused to engage in commercial sex acts, that he traveled in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with the minor and that he transported the minor from Minnesota to Wisconsin with the intent that the minor engaged in sexual activity which constituted second degree sexual assault of a child under Wisconsin law. The indictment also alleges that Koeckeritz used the minor to produce child pornography. The offenses involving the minor are alleged to have occurred between October 2021 to January 2022. Finally, the indictment charges Koeckeritz with three counts of laundering the proceeds of the alleged forced labor and sex trafficking.
Koeckeritz previously was charged with one count of forced labor in an indictment returned by the grand jury on January 12. He is being held in federal custody pending trial, which is scheduled for May 8 before U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson.
The forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, and the sex trafficking by force charge and the production of child pornography charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of life. The charge of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor carries a maximum penalty of 30 years, and the sex trafficking of a minor and transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life. The maximum penalty for each money laundering charge is 20 years.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin Timothy M. O’Shea and Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Hensle of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case. The Pierce County District Attorney’s Office provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Austin Koeckeritz to contact the FBI Milwaukee Field Office at (414) 276-4684. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Madison Man Sentenced to 102 Months for Firearm & Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sylvester Ray Gavins, Jr., 32, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 102 months in prison for possessing cocaine with intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug crime. Gavins pleaded guilty to these charges on December 6, 2022.
On March 26, 2021, law enforcement agents arrested Gavins on state warrants as he was walking out of a hotel in Monona. Gavins was carrying two backpacks that contained 135 grams of a cocaine-fentanyl mixture, 26 grams of a heroin-fentanyl mixture, 659 grams of marijuana, $5,600 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Agents also seized and searched his cell phone, finding evidence that he was selling drugs.
At the time of this offense, Gavins was on supervision after being released from prison for a 2012 Wisconsin heroin trafficking conviction. Gavins’ criminal history dates back to 2007 when he was 17 years old and includes another 2012 heroin conviction in Indiana.
At sentencing, Judge Conley questioned how Gavins was able to rationalize selling drugs when he and his family had suffered from drug use and addiction. Noting Gavins’ criminal history, Judge Conley said that after he was released from prison that Gavins was smart enough to not use the stronger drugs that he still sold to others. Judge Conley also noted the “scourge of fentanyl” affecting the community.
The conviction for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking carried a mandatory minimum penalty of five years to be served consecutive to the 42-month sentence on the drug charge.
The charges against Gavins were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Michigan Man Charged with Making Threats
Arvin Raj Mathur, 32, Grass Lake, Michigan, is charged with six counts of transmitting communications containing threats to injure other persons. The indictment alleges that on six occasions in February 2023, Mathur sent electronic communications threatening to injure a Wisconsin citizen, for the purpose of issuing threats and with knowledge that the communications would be viewed as threats.
Mathur previously was charged with transmitting communications containing threats in a sealed complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin on March 8, 2023. The complaint was unsealed following his arrest in Detroit, Michigan on Friday, March 10.
Mathur made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on Saturday, March 11 and a detention hearing was held yesterday. The Court ordered that he remain in federal custody pending his arraignment in federal court in Madison, Wisconsin. The date for his arraignment in Wisconsin has not been set.
If convicted, Mathur faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Corey is handling the prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Bilkovic handled Mathur’s appearances in the Eastern District of Michigan.
Man Charged with Conspiring to Launder Proceeds of Fraud Scheme
Paul Williams Anti, 59, a citizen of Ghana, is charged with conspiring with unknown others to launder the proceeds of a wire fraud scheme. The indictment alleges that from October 13, 2020 to October 20, 2020, the fraud perpetrators used false pretenses to cause an employee of Organization A in the Western District of Wisconsin to wire transfer the organization’s funds to the conspirators, including Williams Anti.
The indictment alleges that the conspirators gained unauthorized access to the work email account of an employee of Organization A, and without the employee’s knowledge, obtained copies of incoming emails containing genuine invoices sent to the organization for payment and altered the invoices to increase the amounts due and change where payment was to be directed. The indictment further alleges that the fraud perpetrators sent emails containing the altered invoices to a second employee for payment, and the second employee directed the organization’s bank to wire funds to bank accounts, including two controlled by Williams Anti, who then transferred some of the fraud proceeds to other accounts he maintained under false identities.
According to the indictment, of the approximately $2.4 million fraudulently obtained from Organization A, approximately $1 million was wired to the two bank accounts controlled by Williams Anti.
Williams Anti was arrested in the Southern District of New York on Monday, March 13. A date for his initial appearance in Wisconsin has not been set.
If convicted, Williams Anti faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Duchemin is handling the prosecution.
Two Charged with Defrauding Tribal Housing Authority
In related cases charged in separate indictments, two individuals have been charged with engaging in fraud schemes to defraud the St. Croix Chippewa Housing Authority, a tribal agency of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin. The first indictment charges Karen Johnson, 55, Cumberland, Wisconsin, with three counts of wire fraud, theft from a federally funded organization, and aggravated identity theft. This indictment alleges that from November 2018 to June 2019, Johnson, while employed as a housing specialist with the St. Croix Chippewa Housing Authority, created false invoices and vouchers for work allegedly done by Individual A on behalf of the Housing Authority and then wrote checks payable to Individual A from the Housing Authority’s bank account. The indictment further alleges that Johnson endorsed each check by forging the signature of Individual A and deposited the proceeds into her personal bank account. According to the indictment, Individual A did not perform the work for the Housing Authority or create the invoices and he was unaware his identity was used in this manner. The wire fraud charges involve three Housing Authority checks totaling $12,700.
The second indictment charges Duane Emery, 64, Hertel, Wisconsin, with three counts of wire fraud and one count of theft from a federally funded program. The indictment alleges that from February 2015 to June 2019, Emery, while employed as the housing director for the Housing Authority, requested a fellow employee to write checks drawn on the Housing Authority account payable to Sears, claiming that the checks constituted reimbursement for his expenses related to his employment with the Housing Authority. The indictment alleges that Emery used the funds to make payments to his personal Sears credit card account. The wire fraud charges involved three Housing Authority checks totaling $6,600.
If convicted, Johnson and Emery face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count and 10 years on the theft from a federally funded program count. The aggravated identity theft count Johnson is charged with carries a mandatory two-year penalty. The charges against Johnson and Emery are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General with the full support and cooperation of the St. Croix Tribe. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus is handling the prosecutions.
La Crosse Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution
Devin A. Lewis, 37, La Crosse, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on February 20, 2023.
If convicted, Lewis faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the La Crosse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
Two Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
In unrelated cases, two citizens of Mexico have been charged with illegally reentering the United States after having been removed. The first indictment charges Gilberto De Leon-Lopez, also known as Rolando Joel De Leon De Paz, 38, living in Rock County, Wisconsin. The indictment alleges he was found in the United States on January 13, 2023. The second indictment charges Eloy Flores-Zuniga, 38, living in Rock County. The indictment alleges that he was found in the United States on January 3, 2023.
If convicted, Gilberto De Leon-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and Eloy Flores-Zuniga faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charges against them are the result of investigations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the prosecutions.
Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine in Dunn CountyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Richard Skramstad, 60, Prescott, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 60 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release. Skramstad pleaded guilty to this charge on December 1, 2022.
In March 2021, the West Central Drug Task Force began investigating Skramstad as a suspected methamphetamine dealer in the Menomonie, Wisconsin area. Officers utilized a confidential informant to purchase approximately 52 grams of pure methamphetamine from him on April 13, 2021. In an interview following his arrest on May 13, 2021, Skramstad admitted to selling methamphetamine on multiple occasions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley stated that a sentence of 60 months was warranted because of Skramstad’s lengthy criminal history, which included crimes of violence, domestic abuse, drunk driving, and the possession and distribution of controlled substances.
The charge against Skramstad was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Martell Mitchum, 36, Chicago, Illinois was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for possessing over 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Mitchum pleaded guilty to this charge on November 22, 2022.
On June 30, 2020, a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper located a vehicle that had crashed in a construction zone on Interstate 39/90 in Madison, Wisconsin. Mitchum was identified as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. A trooper searched the vehicle after smelling marijuana coming from Mitchum and from inside the vehicle. The trooper found a loaded Glock 43X handgun, a bag of methamphetamine, and multiple baggies of marijuana in a safe on the front passenger seat; a loaded magazine on the steering column; body armor on the front passenger floorboard; and additional bags of methamphetamine and marijuana, digital scales, and three cases of 9mm ammunition were located elsewhere in the car. In total, 106 grams of methamphetamine and almost 5 pounds of marijuana were seized. Subsequent laboratory testing determined that Mitchum had marijuana in his system at the time of his arrest.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted the dangerous nature of Mitchum’s conduct, which involved possessing a loaded firearm, body armor, and a large quantity of drugs all while driving under the influence of marijuana.
The charge against Mitchum was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Merrill Woman Sentenced to Prison for Making False Statements During Purchase of FirearmsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ashley Zastrow, 32, Merrill, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison for making false statements during the purchase of two firearms. This prison term will be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release.
On January 13, 2022, Zastrow purchased two firearms in Wisconsin Rapids. In order to complete the purchase of these firearms, she represented that she was the actual buyer of these firearms when in fact she was not. An investigation by law enforcement revealed that she purchased these firearms for an individual who accompanied her to the store and provided her with cash at the time of purchase. This offense is known as a “straw purchase.” The person Zastrow provided the firearms is prohibited by law from possessing firearms as a result of previous felony convictions and allegedly used one of the firearms purchased by Zastrow to commit a homicide.
In sentencing Zastrow, Judge Conley stated that she made a “disastrous” choice to transfer firearms to a prohibited person and could not ignore the fact that this choice contributed to a woman’s death. Judge Conley also reasoned that a prison sentence was warranted given the defendant’s poor performance on pre-trial release and nominal efforts to confront her methamphetamine addiction.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence.
The charge against Zastrow was the result of an investigation conducted by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Merrill Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Marshfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
Baraboo Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Paul R. Ripp, 50, of Baraboo, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 years in prison for possessing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Ripp pleaded guilty to this charge on December 8, 2022.
On March 28, 2022, Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop Ripp driving a truck near a hotel in Portage off the interstate highway, pursuant to an arrest warrant for state offenses. Ripp fled from officers in a high-speed chase that reached speeds of 100 miles per hour. Ripp avoided apprehension, then abandoned his truck and fled on foot. The following day, Sauk County Sheriff’s deputies located Ripp at a hotel in Wisconsin Dells. At the time Ripp was encountered and arrested by deputies outside the hotel, he was carrying a bag that contained multiple individually packaged bags of methamphetamine that totaled 111 grams of the drug. In the months prior to his arrest, Ripp was involved in multiple sales of methamphetamine in both Columbia and Sauk Counties.
Judge Conley said that a significant period of incarceration was necessary because Ripp had been trafficking methamphetamine in the community for an extended period of time and, further, endangered both officers and the public by engaging in high-speed flight when police attempted to apprehend him. Judge Conley also considered the fact that Ripp had been convicted of drug trafficking in recent years with little deterrence from sentences that had not imposed meaningful terms of incarceration.
The charge against Paul Ripp was the result of an investigation conducted by the Sauk and Columbia County Sheriffs’ Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Former Owner and CEO/CFO of Recycling Company Sentenced to 33 Months for Federal Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kevin Shibilski, 61, Merrill, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for failure to pay $858,101 in employment taxes to the IRS for tax years 2014-2016. On May 16, 2022, Shibilski pleaded guilty to failing to pay over employment taxes to the IRS from Pure Extractions Inc. and Wisconsin Logistics Solutions LLC.
Shibilski was a minority owner and CEO/CFO of 5R Processors (5R), which had locations in Ladysmith, Catawba, Glen Flora, Wisconsin, and Morristown, Tennessee. 5R was involved in the recycling of electronic equipment and other assets. Pure Extractions Inc. (Pure Extractions) was created by Shibilski in June 2014 to handle 5R’s recycling operations. Pure Extractions took on all of 5R’s recycling customers, warehouses and equipment, income flows from recycling, most of 5R’s recycling employees, but none of 5R’s debts. Wisconsin Logistics Solutions LLC (Wisconsin Logistics) was created by Shibilski in February 2015 to handle 5R’s trucking and logistics operations. Wisconsin Logistics took on most of 5R’s trucks and equipment, drivers, dispatchers, pick-up routes, licenses, and all of 5R’s income flows from trucking and logistics, but again, none of 5R’s debts.
At today’s sentencing, Judge Peterson found that the government presented overwhelming evidence showing that Shibilski had been in charge of 5R’s operations and finances since March 2013 and had been the primary decisionmaker on which bills to pay and not pay, including not paying the employment taxes for 5R, Pure Extractions and Wisconsin Logistics. Judge Peterson found that Shibilski had not sincerely accepted responsibility for his actions, noting that Shibilski kept blaming everybody else, including the IRS, his co-defendants, and other 5R employees for the nonpayment of the employment taxes. Judge Peterson added that as the CEO/CFO and part-owner of 5R, Shibilski was the person who was in charge at 5R, which had a brother-sister relationship with Pure Extractions and Wisconsin Logistics.
Judge Peterson explained that a sentence of imprisonment was necessary in this case to send a deterrence message to two groups. One, business owners who willfully fail to pay their employment taxes and need to know their actions will have consequences and they will go to federal prison. Two, the general public who need to know that prison is not just for the impoverished or drug dealers, and that people who willfully fail to pay the IRS and use the tax funds for other purposes, will go to prison.
As part of the plea agreement, Shibilski agreed to pay monies towards the remediation of the leaded glass storage sites for 5R in Wisconsin and Tennessee in the amount of: (1) $100,000 to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and (2) $100,000 to Paint Oak LLC, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Shibilski’s co-defendant, Bonnie Dennee, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States, relating to 5R’s illegal storage of leaded glass. On January 26, 2021, Dennee was sentenced to 5 months in prison. Shibilski’s co-defendant, James Moss, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States relating to 5R’s illegal storage of leaded glass, as well as conspiracy involving the failure to pay over 5R’s employment taxes. On November 23, 2020, Moss was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The charges against Shibilski, Moss, and Dennee were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Law Enforcement, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, and IRS Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.