Western District of Wisconsin
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Jefferson Man Sentenced to 2 ½ Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Brian Battle, 45, Jefferson, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 2 ½ years in prison for possessing a firearm as a felon. Battle pleaded guilty to this charge on October 24, 2022.
On April 5, 2021, law enforcement agents searched Battle’s residence in Jefferson, Wisconsin and found approximately 50 grams of cocaine, sandwich bags, a scale, and a drug ledger with handwritten notes containing names and money totals. In addition, agents found a Ruger firearm and over $12,000 in cash.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson noted that Battle had an “aggravated criminal history” including three prior felony drug offenses and two prior felony convictions for felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Peterson also noted that the crime was particularly serious because evidence from the search warrant showed that Battle was actively engaged in dealing cocaine.
The charge against Battle is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Jefferson County Narcotics Task Force, 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.
Merrill Woman Sentenced to 3 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Nicole Elsholtz, 35, Merrill, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to three years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Elsholtz pleaded guilty to this charge on March 14, 2022.
The government’s investigation revealed that Elsholtz purchased large amounts of methamphetamine from co-defendant Levi Bagne between July of 2019 and June of 2020. Bagne and co-defendant Krista Sparks routinely mailed packages containing methamphetamine from Arizona to co-defendant Cory Freyermuth in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Once Bagne let her know that the methamphetamine had arrived, Elsholtz would drive to Oshkosh and get it from Freyermuth. After driving back to Merrill, Elsholtz sold the methamphetamine to a variety of customers.
Bagne, Freyermuth, and Sparks pleaded guilty to participating in this methamphetamine distribution scheme, and were sentenced by Judge Peterson to 16 years, 8 ½ years, and 2 ½ years, respectively.
The charge against Elsholtz is the result of a joint investigation by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan unit, and Merrill 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. Attorney Aaron Wegner handled the prosecution.
Madison Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jason Hall, 27, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to six years in prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Hall pleaded guilty to this charge on October 31, 2022.
The government’s investigation revealed that Hall purchased large amounts of cocaine from co-defendants Winfield Agee and Darryl McDonald in Chicago, Illinois between 2018 and 2020. After returning to Madison, Hall would sell the cocaine to a variety of customers. The investigation also revealed that Hall’s girlfriend, co-defendant Kiayla Alston, and his mother, co-defendant Nikia Cannon, actively assisted his cocaine trafficking activity.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson concluded that a significant sentence was warranted because Hall was responsible for bringing a large amount of cocaine into the Madison area for a significant period of time. Judge Peterson stated that Hall “leaned into” the drug trafficking lifestyle and was motivated by the allure of easy money. Judge Peterson noted that Hall had multiple prior drug trafficking felony convictions and prior jail sentences had not deterred him from dealing drugs.
A total of eight individuals have been charged for participating in the cocaine distribution scheme. Seven individuals have pleaded guilty, including Winfield Agee, Kiayla Alston, and Nikia Cannon. The remaining defendant, Darryl McDonald, is scheduled for a plea hearing on March 15, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.
The charge against Hall 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Amery Woman Sentenced to 18 Months for Stealing More Than $500,000 from Special Needs TrustRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Sarah Anne Tischer, 43, Amery, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 18 months in federal prison for wire fraud. Tischer’s term of imprisonment is to be followed by a three-year period of supervised release. Judge Peterson also ordered Tischer to pay $526,416 in restitution. Tischer pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud on November 4, 2022.
In June 2017, Tischer established a special needs trust for a beneficiary who suffered from severe medical and developmental disabilities. As trustee, Tischer had full discretion to make payments from the trust on behalf of the beneficiary. Tischer regularly withdrew money from the investment account and deposited the funds into various bank accounts. Once in these accounts, Tischer spent the money and documented the expenditures in the trust’s ledger.
In January 2020, bank employees notified the Polk County Human Services Department that someone was spending money from the special needs trust at a casino in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. Based on this complaint, Polk County officials held an injunction hearing that resulted in Tischer being removed as trustee.
Following this hearing, the FBI opened a criminal investigation and examined the trust’s financial records. At the end of the review, an FBI forensic accountant determined that Tischer fraudulently withdrew $526,413 from the special needs trust and spent the money at casinos, on personal items, and on home improvement projects. Tischer also forged numerous ledger entries in an effort avoid detection.
In sentencing Tischer, Judge Peterson pointed out the particularly horrible nature of Tischer’s crimes. Judge Peterson specifically noted the long-term pattern of Tischer’s wrongdoing, as well as the lasting financial impact Tischer’s actions had on the trust’s beneficiary.
The charges against Tischer were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Holmen Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Todd Valentine, 53, Holmen, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 12 years in federal prison for distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Valentine pleaded guilty to this charge on October 24, 2022.
In early 2021, law enforcement officers were made aware that Valentine was distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine. On April 19, 2021, Marquette County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which Valentine was a passenger. After a positive K9 alert, officers searched the vehicle and found 71 grams of methamphetamine.
The next day, La Crosse law enforcement officers conducted a search of Valentine’s residence in Holmen, allowed under state law because he was on state supervision for a prior gun and drug case. In Valentine’s bedroom, officers found over 7 pounds of methamphetamine and $5,800 in U.S. currency. In a detached shed on the property, officers located a Ruger .22 caliber handgun with a scratched off serial number. Valentine was prohibited from legally possessing a firearm based on multiple prior felony convictions.
Valentine was interviewed twice by law enforcement. He admitted to possessing the methamphetamine found in his room and to dealing up to multiple pounds of methamphetamine per day. He also admitted to possessing the Ruger handgun.
At the time of these events, Valentine was on state supervision for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. His supervision was revoked in August of 2021, and he was ordered to serve 2 years in state prison.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson highlighted the significant quantities of methamphetamine that Valentine was trafficking, as well as his history of unrelenting criminal activity which included 32 prior convictions over the past three decades.
The charge against Valentine was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse County and Marquette County Sheriffs’ Offices, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 12 ½ 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 Matthew M. Peeples, 44, of Pine, Arizona pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 12 ½ years in prison for receiving child pornography. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by 30 years of supervised release.
In October 2021, the father of a 16-year-old girl reported to law enforcement that in reviewing the victim’s Snapchat messages, he observed images of the family dog performing oral sex on the girl. The father allowed police to search his phone which contained the Snapchat application associated with the girl’s account.
The Snapchat application contained conversations between the victim and Peeples between September 23 and October 25, 2021. Within these conversations, the victim said she was 16 years old. The defendant lied and said he was too. He then repeatedly asked the victim to perform sexual acts with her dog. When she complied, he recorded the activity.
Peeples then sent the recordings of the victim and her dog to someone else to attempt to convince them to engage in similar behavior. He also portrayed himself as a 16-year-old boy to obtain explicit images from other minors. By his own admission, he has been exploiting minors for approximately 10-12 years.
Judge Conley found that a significant sentence was warranted because the defendant manipulated and coerced the victim to persuade her to engage in humiliating conduct for his own sexual gratification. Judge Conley was also concerned that Peeples was living a double life, with people in his life having no idea of the horrific life he was living online.
The charge against Peeples was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Waunakee, Middleton, and Truckee, California Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marcelle Davis, 22, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms. The prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. Davis pleaded guilty to this charge on October 7, 2022.
On March 8, 2022, La Crosse police officers responded to a call reporting a domestic dispute. Upon arriving to the area of the call, officers saw the victim holding a Ruger-57 firearm. She immediately dropped the gun and complied with officers’ commands. The victim was frantic, said that Davis was going to kill her, and had numerous injuries on her body. Officers recovered the handgun that the victim dropped, along with a .22 caliber handgun and a .357 revolver in the apartment that she said belonged to Davis. The victim reported that Davis hit her over the head with a handgun, pointed it at her face several times, and strangled her to unconsciousness. She then waited for a chance to escape and when that chance came, she got up, grabbed one of the handguns, and fled the apartment.
Officers eventually located Davis driving and after a short pursuit, he was arrested. They recovered a 9mm handgun that the defendant threw out of the car window.
The defendant’s DNA was found on the guns recovered from the victim and the apartment. Approximately two weeks before this offense, Davis was convicted of the felony crime of false imprisonment and placed on probation.
In choosing a five-year sentence, Judge Conley pointed to the brutal assault of the victim, which included Davis putting the muzzle of a gun on her face and threatening to kill her, calling the defendant’s behavior frightening. Judge Conley said that that the defendant’s history of explosive violence against women, and Davis’s statement describing this offense as a mistake versus a conscious choice, called for a significant sentence.
The charge against Davis was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan handled the prosecution.
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 Woman Sentenced to 72 Months for MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Roxanne E. Rankin, 52, Minneapolis, Minnesota was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 72 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 48 months of supervised release. Rankin pleaded guilty to this charge on August 26, 2022.
On December 6, 2021, West Central Drug Task Force officers arranged the purchase of one pound of methamphetamine from Rankin through a confidential informant. Rankin advised she would bring one-half pound and obtain the second half after getting the money from the buyer. Rankin drove from Minnesota to an agreed-upon location in Hudson, Wisconsin. There, she met with the confidential informant and provided a bag containing 222 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $4,000. As Rankin was driving away, she was pulled over and arrested. At the time, Rankin was on probation out of Minnesota.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson explained that the case involved two aggravating factors. First, Rankin had a prior 2002 federal conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Second, Rankin was involved in serious drug trafficking which can have a devastating impact on the community.
The charge against Rankin was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Janesville Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alfonso Randall, 40, Janesville, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Randall pleaded guilty to this charge on October 20, 2022.
On February 20, 2021, Randall interfered with Janesville police officers while they were conducting a lawful traffic stop of another person. Officers later found video that Randall had posted of his activities following the traffic stop, including him making threatening statements toward law enforcement and brandishing a handgun toward the camera. Officers also found video that Randall posted of himself shooting a handgun at a gun range.
Randall is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms. He was convicted of state drug trafficking offenses in 2001 and 2002. In 2009, he was convicted in federal court of distributing crack cocaine and sentenced to 100 months in prison.
At sentencing Judge Conley acknowledged Randall’s claim that he was trying to hold police accountable but said that when the officers told him to stop interfering, he needed to respect those directions. Judge Conley also said that if Randall wants to hold other people to being law abiding, he needed to obey the law himself. Instead, Randall was presenting reckless video images, and when officers searched his residence, they found guns hidden about the house that were accessible to teenagers that were living there. The court found that Randall was endangering others by promoting dangerous gun behavior. Randall agreed with that assessment.
The charge against Randall was the result of an investigation conducted by the Janesville 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 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.
Tomah Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Victor Pennington, 27, Tomah, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 12 years in federal prison for distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine as part of a conspiracy. This prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Law enforcement began their investigation of Pennington in January 2021. Through the course of their investigation, officers utilized confidential informants to purchase over 100 grams of methamphetamine from him or his co-defendant Lucas Ellwart on three occasions. Officers also determined Pennington utilized another individual, Kyle Ritchie, to purchase guns on his behalf.
Pennington is prohibited from legally possessing or purchasing firearms as a result of several felony convictions, including two Wisconsin convictions related to methamphetamine from 2019. Judge Conley sentenced Ellwart in October 2022 to 72 months imprisonment for distribution of methamphetamine, and Ritchie in September 2022 to 24 months imprisonment for making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, which he provided to Pennington.
Pennington was arrested following a 33-mile high-speed car pursuit in September 2021. Officers attempted to pull him over on his return from Minnesota—purportedly where he had purchased a large quantity of methamphetamine—but the defendant fled. During the pursuit, he instructed Ellwart, who was also in the car, to throw methamphetamine out of the car window. Officers later recovered over 700 grams of methamphetamine along the route of the chase.
In sentencing Pennington, Judge Conley noted that the defendant was under Wisconsin supervision at the time of these offenses. Judge Conley reasoned that a significant sentence was warranted due to the sheer volume of methamphetamine the defendant distributed, including to lower-level dealers in central Wisconsin, and his decision to illegally obtain guns and flee from police.
The charge against Pennington was a result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from FBI, Marathon County Sheriff's Office, Wausau Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Everest Metro Police Department, Wisconsin's National Guard Counterdrug Program, and the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus handled the prosecution.
Wisconsin Rapids Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexually Assaulting Children & Recording the AssaultsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Timothy P. McDowell, 40, of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 25 years in prison for producing child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 30 years of supervised release. McDowell pleaded guilty to this offense on October 25, 2022.
Law enforcement began their investigation into McDowell in October 2021 after they received information that McDowell was posting what appeared to be self-produced child pornography onto Kik. They searched the defendant’s home the next day and on his phone, found images and videos of the defendant sexually assaulting two young children. The defendant admitted producing these images and sending them to others on Kik.
Judge Conley found a 25-year sentence was warranted due to the abhorrent nature of the defendant’s conduct and because the defendant created the potential for endless victimization for the children by sharing the images on the internet.
The charge against McDowell was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
New Jersey Man & Company Operating Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities in Wisconsin Charged with Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin returned an indictment yesterday charging Kevin Breslin, 56, Hoboken, New Jersey, and KBWB Operations, LLC, doing business as Atrium Health and Senior Living (Atrium), in Park Ridge, New Jersey, with a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid in connection with the delivery of or payment for health care benefits, items, or services.
The indictment alleges that the scheme operated from January 2015 to September 2018. The indictment charges the defendants with health care fraud, six counts of wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud, conspiracy to commit tax fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to the indictment, Breslin was the Chief Executive Officer of Atrium, which operated 24 skilled nursing facilities and nine assisted living facilities in Wisconsin and Michigan. These facilities included:
1. Atrium Post Acute Care of Appleton, Wisconsin;
2. Atrium Post Acute Care of Black River Falls, Wisconsin;
3. Atrium Post Acute Care of Bloomer, Wisconsin;
4. Atrium Post Acute Care of Chetek, Wisconsin;
5. Atrium Post Acute Care of Chilton, Wisconsin;
6. Atrium Post Acute Care of Ellsworth; Wisconsin;
7. Atrium Post Acute Care of Kewaunee, Wisconsin;
8. Atrium Post Acute Care of Lancaster, Wisconsin;
9. Atrium Post Acute Care of Little Chute, Wisconsin;
10. Atrium Post Acute Care of Marshfield, Wisconsin;
11. Atrium Post Acute Care of Menominee, Michigan;
12. Atrium Post Acute Care of Mineral Point, Wisconsin;
13. Atrium Post Acute Care of Neenah, Wisconsin;
14. Atrium Post Acute Care of New Holstein, Wisconsin;
15. Atrium Post Acute Care of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin;
16. Atrium Post Acute Care of Plymouth, Wisconsin;
17. Atrium Post Acute Care of Shawano, Wisconsin, at Birch Hill,
18. Atrium Post Acute Care of Shawano, Wisconsin, at Evergreen,
19. Atrium Post Acute Care of Shawano, Wisconsin, at Maple Lane,
20. Atrium Post Acute Care of Stevens Point, Wisconsin;
21. Atrium Post Acute Care of Two Rivers, Wisconsin;
22. Atrium Post Acute Care of Weston, Wisconsin;
23. Atrium Post Acute Care of Williams Bay, Wisconsin; and
24. Atrium Post Acute Care of Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.
The indictment alleges that from January 2015 through September 2018, Atrium billed Medicare for over $189,000,000 and received over $49,000,000 and that they billed Medicaid for over $218,000,000 and received over $93,000,000. The indictment alleges that when the defendants obtained money from Medicare and Medicaid, they certified that they would follow all required quality of care standards, but they did not do so, and that they would operate their facilities with adequate staffing, supplies, and services, but they did not do so.
The indictment alleges that as part of the scheme to defraud, Breslin and Atrium diverted funds from the Wisconsin facilities through guaranteed payments to Atrium owners, guaranteed monthly return-on-investment payments to investors that were financing the construction of skilled nursing facilities in New Jersey, and construction costs for the New Jersey facilities. The indictment further alleges that the diversion of funds caused inadequate care of residents, including a shortage of clean diapers, inadequate wound care supplies, inadequate cleaning supplies, and a lack of durable medical equipment and respiratory supplies. In addition, the diversion of funds caused non-payment to vendors, which caused numerous services to be cut off, including physical therapy for residents, fire alarm monitoring services, phone and internet services preventing staff from obtaining prescription orders and accessing electronic medical records systems, and necessary repairs and maintenance of the physical plant facilities.
In addition, the indictment alleges that Breslin and Atrium withheld insurance premiums from employees’ paychecks but failed to pay those monies over to the third-party administrator for use in paying health claims, causing payment of employees’ health claims to be stopped. The indictment further alleges that the defendants withheld 401(k) retirement savings account contributions from employees’ paychecks but failed to pay those monies over to the third-party pension administrator.
The indictment also alleges that Breslin and Atrium evaded payment to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service of state and federal income taxes and employment taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks.
If convicted, Breslin and Atrium face penalties of five years in federal prison on the conspiracy to commit tax fraud charge, and 20 years on each health care fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering charge. The conspiracy to commit tax fraud charge and each of the health care, wire and mail fraud charges carry a $250,000 fine; the money laundering charge carries a $500,000 fine.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division and U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea for the Western District of Wisconsin made the announcement.
The charges against Breslin and Atrium are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; IRS Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Medicare Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber and Trial Attorney Karla-Dee Clark of the Consumer Protection Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division are handling the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Immigration & Gun Crimes
Jesus Delather Corona, 32, a citizen of Mexico living in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally reentering the United States and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment alleges that on December 19, 2022, he was found in the United States after previously being removed. The indictment also alleges that on that day, he possessed a loaded 9mm pistol.
If convicted, Delather Corona faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on the illegal reentry charge and 10 years on the felon in possession of a firearm charge.
The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Fort Atkinson Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick Elgersma is handling the prosecution.
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.
Onalaska Man Charged with Drug Crimes Involving Fentanyl & Cocaine
Michael Wilson, 46, Onalaska, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing fentanyl, possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possessing cocaine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that he distributed fentanyl on July 21, 2022 and that he possessed fentanyl and cocaine for distribution on July 28, 2022.
If convicted, Wilson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each charge. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the La Crosse Police Department and the Dubuque County (Iowa) Drug Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Beloit Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Possessing a Firearm in a School ZoneRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Barber, 38, Beloit, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 42 months in prison for possessing a firearm in a school zone. Barber pleaded guilty to this charge on October 12, 2022.
On December 20, 2020, at approximately 2:18 a.m., a Beloit police officer pulled over a silver SUV that Barber was driving for a traffic offense. Barber handed the officer an identification card. The officer noticed a large revolver and open alcohol in the center console and ordered Barber to step out of the vehicle. Barber then drove off fleeing the scene. Officers went to the address listed on Barber’s identification card and located him in his brother’s apartment. In the bathroom cabinet, an officer found a loaded silver Weihrauch .45 Colt revolver. A laboratory analyst found Barber’s DNA on the trigger of the gun. The traffic stop occurred less than 1,000 feet from a school.
At the time of the stop Barber was on federal supervision after being released from prison for a heroin trafficking conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Barber had been serving time and on supervision for criminal convictions since 2001. Judge Conley said that Barber had a history of violating terms of supervision and had been revoked multiple times, and the sentence in this case was designed to hold him accountable and protect the community. Judge Conley sentenced Barber to six months of incarceration on the federal revocation to run consecutive to the 42 months in prison for the gun offense and ordered the gun and the ammunition forfeited. Barber was also ordered to complete an additional two years of supervised release.
The charge against Barber was the result of an investigation conducted by Beloit 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 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 11 Years for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Charlie Goodwin, 34, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 132 months in prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Goodwin pleaded guilty to this charge on October 21, 2022.
On August 27, 2021, a confidential source working with the Drug Enforcement Administration communicated with Goodwin and arranged to buy one pound of methamphetamine. Goodwin arrived at the meeting location in Madison and sold the confidential source one pound of methamphetamine in exchange for $3,000.
On September 10, 2021, Madison Police officers received information that Goodwin’s vehicle may have been used in the robbery of a gas station. When officers attempted to pull over Goodwin, he led them on a high-speed chase through Madison. After officers terminated the pursuit for safety reasons, Goodwin carjacked a Chevrolet Equinox and drove back to his residence. The victim of the carjacking sustained injuries to his neck and right arm.
Later that day, officers arrested Goodwin at his girlfriend’s apartment and searched the residence. During the search, officers found $164,124 in cash, two loaded firearms, and drug packing materials. There was also evidence showing Goodwin had recently flushed heroin down the toilet and the sink.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson noted that Goodwin was the leader of a large-scale interstate drug trafficking organization and was involved in transporting “a daunting amount” of methamphetamine from California to Wisconsin. Judge Peterson also noted it was an aggravating factor that Goodwin had two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking in the Madison area and six additional criminal convictions.
The charge against Goodwin is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Madison 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. The prosecution of the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Repeat Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kelly M. Schultz, 45, of Antigo, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography. The prison term will be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Schultz pleaded guilty to this charge on August 23, 2022.
In March 2017, law enforcement determined that Schultz was posing as a teenage girl on-line in an attempt to get a teenage boy to send him sexually explicit images. As part of that investigation, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home and seized approximately 150 CDs and DVDs. During the analysis of these items, law enforcement found numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Judge Peterson found that the 10-year sentence was warranted based on Schultz’s pattern of sex offenses against children. He previously was convicted of the sexual assault of a child.
The charge against Schultz was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; the Port Edwards, Markesan, Everest Metro, and Antigo Police Departments; and the Green Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The Langlade County District Attorney’s office also assisted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Wisconsin Man Indicted for Forced LaborRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of Wisconsin charging a Wisconsin man with one count of labor trafficking.
According to the indictment, between August 2020 and Aug. 5, 2022, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, used force, threats of force and coercion, to cause an adult woman to engage in forced labor for nearly two years.
The charge of forced labor carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 conducted the investigation. 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, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
River Falls Man Indicted for Forced LaborRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today in the Western District of Wisconsin charging a Wisconsin man with one count of labor trafficking.
According to the indictment, between August 2020 and Aug. 5, 2022, Austin Koeckeritz, 29, River Falls, Wisconsin, used force, threats of force and coercion, to cause an adult woman to engage in forced labor for nearly two years.
The charge of forced labor carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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 conducted the investigation. 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, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Madison Man Sentenced to 60 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 Alexander Jefferson-Cooper, 29, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 60 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.
The Fitchburg Police Department began its investigation into Jefferson-Cooper after he was named the suspect in a shooting that occurred in Fitchburg on September 29, 2021. The victim of this shooting, a former girlfriend of the defendant, reported her car had been shot after an online argument with the defendant. During the course of this investigation, officers executed a search warrant at a residence in Oregon, Wisconsin on October 5, 2021, where Jefferson-Cooper was residing at the time. Officers located a number of firearms in the residence, including a Walther 9mm handgun. Through ballistics testing, officers determined the Walther 9mm handgun had been used to commit the September 29 shooting. Further, a review of the defendant’s cellphone and public Facebook posts revealed that he had posted photos and videos of himself holding this handgun on September 7, 2021.
Jefferson-Cooper was charged in connection with the September 29, 2021 shooting in Dane County Case 2022CF811. He was sentenced in that case to 6 months in jail on November 29, 2022.
At the time of the offense in this case, Jefferson-Cooper was prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of multiple felony convictions, including a 2016 conviction for keeping a place of prostitution.
The charge against Jefferson-Cooper was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus 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 Receives 6-Year Prison Term for Distributing Heroin & Fentanyl and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Michael S. Murphy, 48, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years for distributing heroin and fentanyl and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Murphy pleaded guilty to these offenses on October 11, 2022.
In October and November of 2021, law enforcement conducted several controlled buys of heroin using an undercover officer. Through surveillance, law enforcement determined that Murphy was the supplier for the dealer involved in these buys. Based on this information, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Murphy’s home. There, they found over 100 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, over 20 grams of cocaine, and a quantity of crack cocaine. They also found a 9 mm handgun with a loaded magazine inserted, a .45 caliber handgun, another 9 mm handgun with the serial number scratched off, and 94 unspent rounds of ammunition.
Judge Peterson said that a 6-year prison sentence was necessary to reflect the seriousness of Murphy’s conduct. He highlighted that the type of drugs involved, particularly fentanyl, are deadly and present grave risks to the community. He also noted that the firearms, one of which was loaded, presented additional dangers. Under statute, the firearms charge required a mandatory minimum 5-year prison sentence. Judge Peterson said additional time beyond the mandatory minimum was needed to address the entirety of the conduct involved.
The charges against Murphy were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Anita Marie Boor 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.
Eau Claire Woman Sentenced to 5 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 Golia Xiong, 40, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 60 months in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Xiong will receive credit for time she has served in custody since her arrest on March 30, 2022. This prison term will be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release.
On March 30, 2022, the Barron County Sheriff’s Department stopped Xiong as she arrived at a gas station near Highway 53 in New Auburn, Wisconsin to make a delivery of suspected methamphetamine. Upon searching Xiong and her vehicle, police found approximately one-quarter pound of methamphetamine in the vehicle along with drug related paraphernalia.
Judge Peterson stated that a significant sentence was necessary for Xiong’s conduct particularly because she had been convicted in state court of methamphetamine trafficking offenses twice in the recent past and was on supervision for those offenses when she attempted to deliver the methamphetamine in this case. Judge Peterson stated that a harsh sentence was called for due to her repeated behavior of returning to drug trafficking.
The charge against Xiong was the result of an investigation conducted by the Barron County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Rusk County Man Pleads Guilty to False Statements to Federal Agencies Regarding Non-Citizen WorkersRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Bruce, Wisconsin man has pleaded guilty to making false material 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 workers from other countries hired to perform labor in the United States. Alfredo Aguilar, 52, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Madison, Wisconsin. The guilty plea is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
According to the plea agreement, 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.
As part of Aguilar’s plea agreement, Aguilar will pay restitution to the H-2B workers in the amount of $1,144,693.56 and a civil penalty in the amount of $210,696.39.
Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2023, at 9:30 a.m. Aguilar faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison.
“My office is committed to partnering with the Department of Labor to protect the rights of all workers,” said U.S. Attorney O’Shea. “We will work with our federal colleagues to bring to justice those who seek to exploit vulnerable workers.”
“Alfredo Aguilar conspired with others to abuse the H-2B program by making false statements to the U.S. Department of Labor and by failing to provide foreign workers with the wages and benefits they were entitled to receive. We will continue to work with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division to vigorously pursue those who commit fraud involving foreign labor certification programs,” said Irene Lindow, Special Agent-in-Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
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 is handling the prosecution.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to 5 YearsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kou Yang, 27, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Yang pleaded guilty to this charge on October 5, 2022.
In August 2021, an undercover police officer bought large quantities of methamphetamine from Yang on two separate occasions. After Yang’s arrest, he admitted to purchasing half pound and pound quantities of methamphetamine from local methamphetamine dealers for later distribution to customers.
In sentencing Yang, Judge Conley highlighted that Yang was under state supervision at the time of his arrest for drug trafficking and had learned very little from his prior conviction and prison sentence. He further stressed that, in addition to drug trafficking, the defendant had a significant criminal history involving domestic violence and firearm possession.
The charge against Yang was the result of an investigation conducted by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard prosecuted this case.
Rochester, Minnesota Man Sentenced to 2 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Rayshawn Earl Motley, 32, Rochester, Minnesota was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to two years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Motley pleaded guilty to this charge on September 20, 2022.
On June 21, 2021, La Crosse police officers stopped a car that Motley was driving. After noticing an odor of marijuana in the car, officers searched the car finding a loaded Smith & Wesson .380 handgun hidden in the center console. While Motley denied knowing about the handgun, a subsequent lab analysis determined that his DNA was on it.
In 2012 Motley was convicted of felony drug trafficking in Rochester, Minnesota, and sentenced to prison. Motley also has pending drug trafficking charges out of St. Louis County, Minnesota.
At sentencing, Judge Conley remarked that Motley had not broken from his past history of drug involvement, and that possession of a gun by a known drug trafficker presented an increased risk of violence to the community. Judge Conley ordered three years of supervised release to follow the prison term.
The charge against Motley was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse 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 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 Offender Sentenced to 6 Years for Drug Trafficking & Violating His SupervisionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marcus Payton, 38, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 years in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine. Payton pleaded guilty to this charge on October 4, 2022. The Court also found, at sentencing, that Payton violated the terms of his supervised release in a prior drug trafficking case and sentenced him to 24 months in prison concurrent to the six-year sentence.
In January 2022, a police informant told law enforcement agents that Marcus Payton was distributing crack cocaine in the Beloit area. The informant, while under police supervision, then bought crack cocaine from Payton on two occasions, totaling six grams. At the time of the offense Payton was on federal supervised release for a 2014 conviction for distributing heroin.
In sentencing Payton, Judge Conley emphasized that a 6-year sentence was warranted because Payton returned to drug dealing while under the Court’s supervision on a prior drug trafficking case. He further highlighted that, in addition to the drug trafficking convictions, the defendant had a significant criminal history involving battery; felony bail jumping; 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety; and armed robbery.
The charge against Payton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Beloit Police Department, and Rock County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard 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.
Milwaukee Man Charged with Drug & Gun Offenses
Travis Lee Young, 38, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and with renting a place for the purpose of distributing controlled substances. The indictment also charges Young with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and with possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The indictment alleges that he possessed the drugs and a handgun on August 3, 2022, and that he rented a motel room in Eagle River, Wisconsin on that day for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
If convicted, Young faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the methamphetamine charge, 20 years on the charges involving fentanyl and cocaine and the charge of renting a place for the purpose of distributing controlled substances, 10 years on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The penalty for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is a mandatory minimum of 5 years; federal law requires that this sentence be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The charges against Young are the result of an investigation by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the Eagle River Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Wood County Man Charged with Drug & Gun Offenses
John W. Andereggen, 55, Vesper, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. The indictment also charges Andereggen with being a felon in possession of firearms. The indictment alleges that on October 6, 2022, he possessed the methamphetamine and cocaine and five firearms, including three rifles, a 9mm pistol, and a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun.
If convicted, Andereggen faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the methamphetamine charge and a maximum penalty of 20 years on the cocaine charge. The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms has a maximum penalty of 10 years.
The charges against Andereggen are the result of an investigation by the Wood and Marathon County Sheriffs’ Offices; the Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids, Nekoosa, Stevens Point, and Plover Police Departments; the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm & Ammunition
Derrick W. Johnson, 25, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges that on December 5, 2022, Johnson possessed a loaded 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition.
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Fitchburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the prosecution.
The Young, Andereggen, and Johnson cases are 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.
Sun Prairie Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Daniel Gibbs, 37, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced on Friday, January 6, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 121 months in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Gibbs pleaded guilty to this charge on September 14, 2022.
Gibbs sold one pound of methamphetamine to a confidential source on three separate occasions at a residence in Sun Prairie in August and September of 2021. On November 10, 2021, agents executed a search warrant at the residence where Gibbs had previously sold methamphetamine to the confidential source. During the search, agents found approximately four pounds of heroin, a kilogram press, and a loaded firearm.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Peterson stated that Gibbs had committed “a very serious drug trafficking crime” by distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine and heroin. Judge Peterson also noted that Gibbs had previously served substantial time in federal prison for a violent crime involving kidnapping and extortion.
The charge against Gibbs is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, United States 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. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Madison Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Juana Armenta Mora, 28, Madison, Wisconsin pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 15 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On April 4, 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration task force, through a confidential informant, purchased one kilogram of methamphetamine from Armenta Mora in Madison. On April 14, agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Madison and found prerecorded buy money from the April 4 transaction in a safe in the defendant’s bedroom.
During post-arrest interviews, Armenta Mora admitted to selling some kind of illegal drugs. She explained that she was approached at her home by two individuals she knew from Mexico, and they asked her to distribute drugs for them. While she did the April 4 drug transaction, she refused to do any more deals that the men requested. Armenta Mora told investigators that this was the first and only time she had been involved with drug dealing.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that Armenta Mora was culpable for getting involved in drug trafficking, and she bears responsibility for taking money from the proceeds of the transaction. He noted however, that the defendant had a minimal role, and that she was unaware of the type of drugs she was delivering. Judge Peterson considered that the defendant ultimately said no to continuing to engage in drug trafficking.
The charge against Armenta Mora was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jefferson County Drug Task Force, and Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Kathryn E. Ginsberg prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Devin Crayton, 33, Madison, Wisconsin pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson to six years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On or about January 11, 2022, Crayton was handling a firearm and discharged it in his girlfriend’s residence. Later that morning he was arrested. Officers obtained a warrant to search the house and found an unloaded Taurus 9mm handgun along with a magazine containing four live rounds. They also found a bullet hole from the upstairs hallway that travelled down into the living area, and a stolen police captain’s badge and handcuff case. Crayton is a convicted felon, has been to prison in Nevada, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Crayton said that he likes “car shopping” (stealing from vehicles) and that the police badge was in a bag that he took. He also admitted that he was handling the gun when it discharged in the house. While the defendant said it was a negligent discharge and he only briefly handled it, a witness said that Crayton always carried the gun, that he had pointed it at her before, and that he fired it in the house to wake people up as he was trying to get methamphetamine.
Relevant conduct considered at sentencing included a March 27, 2022, arrest where the defendant was in possession of two handguns and a short barrel shotgun.
At sentencing Judge Peterson said that the most aggravating factor of the case was that after the defendant’s arrest in this case, he spent two months in jail on state charges and, after being released, immediately got more guns. The fact that he discharged the firearm was also concerning, and the court was skeptical of claims that this was a negligent discharge. Judge Peterson noted that at 33 years old, the defendant can no longer blame his conduct on a difficult childhood, and that he had a bad criminal record.
The charge against Crayton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Verona 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.
Lyndon Station 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 Kyle O. Luke, 27, of Lyndon Station, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to five years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. This prison term will be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Luke pleaded guilty to this charge on September 13, 2022.
In January 2022, agents executed a search warrant at Luke’s home based on a tip provided by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. During the search, agents seized numerous electronic devices. Agents interviewed Luke and he admitted that he accessed child pornography with his phone and that there may still be videos on that phone that had been sent to him on Snapchat.
At the time of the offense in this case, Luke was on supervision for attempted 2nd degree sexual assault and child enticement. Because Judge Conley found the defendant had a pattern of minimizing his sexually deviant conduct, three years of the sentence in this case will run consecutive to a five-year sentence the defendant is currently serving in that prior case.
The charge against Luke was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Juneau County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman 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.
La Crosse Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution
Joshua R. Wittenberg, 40, La Crosse, Wisconsin, is charged with possession of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that he possessed the methamphetamine on November 7, 2022. Wittenberg was arrested in La Crosse on November 7. He is being held at the La Crosse County Jail.
If convicted, Wittenberg faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the La Crosse Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Jose Luis Garcia-Garduno, 24, a citizen of Mexico found in Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed. The indictment alleges he was found in the United States on October 27, 2022.
If convicted, Garcia-Garduno faces a maximum penalty of 2 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 Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Federal Inmate Receives 9-Month Consecutive Prison Term for Possession of ContrabandRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Matthew S. Kirst, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution at Oxford, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 9 months in federal prison for possessing contraband in prison. Kirst pleaded guilty to the charge on September 12, 2022.
On September 28, 2021, Kirst was an inmate serving a federal prison sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. That day, prison staff discovered Kirst was in possession of 175 strips containing buprenorphine/suboxone and a quantity of synthetic marijuana, both controlled substances.
Judge Conley said a 9-month prison sentence was necessary to reflect the seriousness of the situation and to deter other inmates from similar conduct. He noted drugs like the ones that Kirst possessed while incarcerated can contribute to violence and dangerous situations among inmates. Judge Conley also noted that this was Kirst’s second conviction for possessing contraband in prison, and the sentence was meant to send a message. Pursuant to federal law, the 9-month prison term must be served consecutive to the sentences Kirst is currently serving and will serve for his previous firearm and contraband convictions.
The charge against Kirst was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Anita Marie Boor prosecuted this case.
Madison Man Sentenced for Postal TheftRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Steven Rosa, 29, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 2 years of probation for theft of mail matter by a postal employee. Judge Conley also imposed a $2,000 fine as part of Rosa’s sentence.
Rosa’s theft was uncovered after a service technician for a portable toilet company found opened U.S. First Class mail in a portable toilet in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, on December 28, 2020. On January 4, 2021, additional pieces of opened mail were found in the same location, as well as in a second portable toilet. The U.S. Postal Service determined this mail was assigned for delivery to Rosa, who was a mail carrier with the Postal Service at the time.
Rosa ultimately admitted to stealing mail from his route for a period of two weeks, and that he was looking for cash and Amazon gift cards. In total, the Postal Service determined the defendant stole pieces of mail from 39 separate individuals, and approximately $245 in cash and gift cards. This mail included several holiday greeting cards.
In sentencing Rosa, Judge Conley stated that the crime committed by the defendant was a sad offense because of its impact on the community. Judge Conley also stated that the defendant’s conduct was incredibly damaging to the “already suffering” U.S. Postal Service, and that the defendant violated the trust of the public.
The charge against Rosa was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
La Crosse Man Sentenced to 6 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 Kristopher L. Halverson, 32, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to six years in prison for receiving child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Halverson pleaded guilty to this charge on August 10, 2022.
In January 2021, the Grand Ledge Police Department in Grand Ledge, Michigan responded to a report of inappropriate communication between a 12-year-old female and a male, later identified as Kristopher Halverson. Based on this complaint, the FBI obtained a search warrant for Halverson’s home in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, and searched a car where Halverson was found. During the search of the car, officers found an iPhone on the passenger floorboard. The iPhone had an active Google Duo phone call running with a different girl’s contact name.
After further analysis of the phone, agents were able to identify the Google Duo contact as a 15-year-old girl from Texas. The girl was interviewed and disclosed that she met Halverson while gaming and he began sending her gifts. The defendant repeatedly asked the girl to send explicit images to him and she ultimately did so.
The charge against Halverson was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Grand Ledge (Michigan) Police Department, and the Coulee Region Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, that includes the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse County Sheriff’s Department, Village of Holmen Police Department, Onalaska Police Department, West Salem Police Department and Town of Campbell Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Convicted Felon Indicted for False Statements on Federal Loan ApplicationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on December 6, 2022, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Robert J. Solberg (age: 38), of Green Bay, Wisconsin, with fraudulently misleading the U.S. Small Business Administration on a loan application by falsely stating that he was not at that time under indictment and had not been convicted of a felony. The indictment alleges that when Solberg submitted the application on August 4, 2020, he was then under indictment on federal charges and had pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to commit odometer tampering in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. He was awaiting sentencing at the time he filed the loan application.
Because Solberg is alleged to have committed a new felony offense while subject to a pretrial release order in a pending criminal case, he faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine if convicted. Further, any sentence imposed in this matter must run consecutive to the sentence he received in the odometer tampering case.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel R. Humble and Julie F. Stewart.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt
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Trempealeau County Cocaine Traffickers Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cristian Andre Vazquez Velez (Vazquez), 23, Independence, Wisconsin, and Michael Carmenatty Justiniano (Carmenatty), 41, Galesville, Wisconsin, were sentenced on December 8, 2022 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley. Vazquez, who pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Carmenatty, who pleaded guilty on August 16, 2022, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
In August 2020, law enforcement received information from multiple sources that several people sold cocaine at a barbershop and taverns in Arcadia, Wisconsin. As their investigation continued, investigators learned that Mark Castro, Karlett Salazar, Carmenatty, and Vazquez received cocaine from someone in Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rican source-of-supply shipped half-kilogram quantities of cocaine at a time, via U.S. Mail, and hid the drugs inside radios, printers, or bedsheets. In exchange for the cocaine, the above Wisconsin-based cocaine traffickers sent money and guns to Puerto Rico.
On May 5, 2021, a special agent from the U.S. Postal Service–Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) obtained a search warrant for a parcel sent from Puerto Rico to a residence in Winona, Minnesota, which was associated with the group. Inside the parcel, investigators found 557 grams of cocaine hidden inside a large Bluetooth speaker.
On June 29, 2021, the USPS-OIG agent obtained another search warrant for a parcel sent from Independence, Wisconsin to a residence in Puerto Rico. Inside the parcel, investigators discovered two Glock semi-automatic handguns.
On July 13, 2021, the USPS-OIG agent obtained a search warrant for a parcel sent from Puerto Rico to an address in Independence, Wisconsin. Inside the parcel, investigators found 506 grams of cocaine. On July 14, 2021, investigators conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel and arrested Salazar and Vazquez, who were inside the residence.
During post-arrest interviews, Salazar, Vazquez, and Castro admitted that the group, including Carmenatty, conspired to distribute cocaine in and around Arcadia.
Castro pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On October 20, 2022, Judge Conley sentenced Castro to 120 months in prison.
In addition, Salazar pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. On April 21, 2022, Judge Conley sentenced Salazar to 60 months in prison.
U.S. Attorney O’Shea thanked all of the agencies that participated in the investigation and noted that the case illustrated how partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement play an important role in keeping communities safe.
The USPS-OIG echoed U.S. Attorney O’Shea’s comments. “These sentencings represent our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity and trust in the U.S. Postal Service,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Andre Martin, Central Area Field Office, USPS-OIG.
The charges against all four members of the cocaine trafficking group were the result of an investigation conducted by the following agencies: USPS-OIG; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Winona County (Minnesota) Sheriff’s Office; Arcadia Police Department; and Independence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted this case.
Tomah Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Stephen Thompson, 57, Tomah, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 78 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Thompson pleaded guilty to this charge on August 31, 2022.
The government’s investigation revealed that Thompson received a total of nine packages containing methamphetamine in the mail from Arizona at various addresses in the Tomah area. On November 15, 2021, U.S. Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant on a parcel sent from Arizona and addressed to “Stephen Thompson” at an address in Sparta, Wisconsin. The parcel contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine. On March 17, 2022, Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant on a parcel sent to Thompson’s associate in Tomah. Inspectors found approximately 220 grams of methamphetamine in the parcel. Thompson was arrested that same day after taking possession of the parcel.
Thompson’s criminal history dates back to 1992 and includes six drug-related felonies as well as prior felony convictions for burglary and theft. At the sentencing hearing, Judge Conley concluded that a substantial sentence was warranted because Thompson received a significant amount of methamphetamine from Arizona and distributed it in the Tomah area.
The charge against Thompson is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, and West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Owner of Johnson Sausage Shop Sentenced to 1 Year for Not Paying Tax Withholdings to IRSRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced today that Christa Johnson, 57, Cambria, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Madison, Wisconsin by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson. Judge Peterson ordered Johnson to serve one year in prison and pay a $25,000 fine. She was also ordered to pay $326,905 in restitution to the IRS, which she paid immediately.
On June 16, 2022, a federal grand jury sitting in Madison, Wisconsin returned a 17-count indictment against Johnson, charging her with seven counts of withholding income taxes and payroll taxes from her employees and not paying the taxes over to the IRS, nine counts of not paying the employer's share of employment taxes, and one count of obstruction of IRS collection efforts.
Johnson owned Johnson Sausage Shoppe, Inc. (JSS) which operated as a meat processing plant, grocery store, and catering business in Rio, Wisconsin since 1996. As President of JSS, Johnson was responsible for all aspects of JSS's business operations, including accounting, finance, banking, payroll, hiring and firing of employees, paying bills, paying taxes, and filing Forms 1120-S, 941, and 940 with the IRS.
The indictment alleged that Johnson failed to timely file quarterly employment tax returns (Form 941) for JSS, and pay the employment taxes, starting with the first quarter of 2013 through the fourth quarter of 2016. During that time span, JSS paid $1,496,524.69 in wages and withheld from those wages FICA taxes and the employee's income taxes, which totaled $211,337.32, none of which was paid over to the IRS. Johnson also failed to pay to the IRS the employer's matching share of FICA taxes, which totaled $111,137.86, and federal unemployment taxes which totaled $4,430.54, for the same time period. In total, JSS owed $326,905 in unpaid taxes to the IRS.
At today's hearing, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of not paying over the employee tax withholdings for the third quarter of 2016, but agreed the total tax loss of the scheme amounted to $326,905.
In imposing the one-year prison term, Judge Peterson told Johnson that her conduct was serious, not only in terms of a large tax amount due, but also because the crime took place over a long period of time and she engaged in a pattern of defiance with the IRS for a long time frame. Judge Peterson noted that numerous individuals gave Johnson repeated warnings that she was in violation of the law, but Johnson ignored these warnings, and chose to defy her tax obligations from 2013 through 2016. As a result, Judge Peterson stated that a prison term was necessary to punish her and provide specific deterrence so that she would not repeat this conduct. Judge Peterson also noted that a prison term was necessary to provide a general deterrence message to other employers so that they know if they withhold income taxes and employment taxes from their employee's wages and do not pay it over to the IRS, they will be held accountable, and will go to prison.
The charges against Johnson were the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber prosecuted this case.
Madison Felon Sentenced to 4 Years for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kishaun Brooks, 21, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to four years in federal prison for possessing a handgun as a felon. This prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.
Brooks possessed a Glock semiautomatic handgun between March 18, 2022 and April 1, 2022. During this period, Brooks was a felon on probation after having been convicted and sentenced in Dane County for three separate felony burglary convictions, three separate felony car theft convictions, and three separate felony convictions for vehicle flee/elude an officer.
In imposing the four-year sentence, Judge Peterson reflected on Brook’s criminal history and the threat he posed to public safety. In addressing Brooks, Judge Peterson indicated that he had been a “menace to the community” but that the four-year sentence would deter Brooks from endangering the public, and, with three years of federal supervision, gave Brooks an opportunity to turn his life around.
The charge against Brooks was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department, the Madison Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea 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.
Baraboo Woman Sentenced to 60 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 Pa Kou Yang, 33, Baraboo, Wisconsin was sentenced on November 17, 2022 by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 60 months in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Yang pleaded guilty to this charge on August 12, 2022.
As a part of a long-term investigation, law enforcement officers obtained evidence that Christopher Fernette, Carl Rabe, and Dillan Boydston distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in western Wisconsin. Investigators also learned that Fernette purchased methamphetamine from multiple people, including a source-of-supply in Minnesota and an individual named Pa Yang.
On February 18, 2021, during a traffic stop by a Crawford County Sheriff’s deputy in Onalaska, Wisconsin, Yang admitted to possessing methamphetamine and turned over approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson told Yang that she adopted a lifestyle of criminal conduct.
On June 29, 2022, Judge William M. Conley sentenced Fernette to 10 years in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Judge Conley also ordered Fernette to forfeit $17,200.
On July 20, 2022, Judge Conley sentenced Rabe to 96 months in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver.
On November 3, 2022, Judge Conley sentenced Boydston to 84 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The charges against these defendants were the result of an investigation conducted by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie du Chien Police Department, Richland-Iowa-Grant Task Force, Dakota County (Minnesota) Drug Task Force, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted the cases.
Two Central Wisconsin Men Charged with Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned an indictment today charging Devin Needham, 36, Wausau, Wisconsin, and Ari Lor, 30, Appleton, Wisconsin, with possessing methamphetamine for distribution. The indictment is announced by United States Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea.
The indictment charges Needham and Lor with possessing 50 grams or more of pure methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that they possessed the methamphetamine on June 20, 2022. Lor were arrested on that day in Wausau, and Needham was arrested in Wausau on August 23, 2022. They are in custody at the Marathon County Jail.
If convicted, Needham and Lor face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison. The charge against them is the result of an investigation 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, with assistance from the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group and the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner 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 Felon Sentenced to 3½ Years for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Raymond Poore, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 42 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Poore pleaded guilty to this charge on August 3, 2022.
Poore was apprehended in possession of a 9 millimeter handgun on November 18, 2021, after Madison Police and Dane County Sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop a suspected stolen vehicle in which Poore was a passenger. The driver of the vehicle led police on a high-speed chase on the Beltline Highway and into the city of Monona. On Monona streets, the car was still traveling at high speeds and evading police when officers deployed a spike-strip to stop the car. In the course of attempting to avoid the spike-strip, the vehicle lost a tire and became disabled. The driver and Poore abandoned the car and fled in different directions on foot. Monona officers saw Poore run across Broadway Street in Monona holding his hand near his waistband as he ran. Officers pursuing Poore on foot tackled and restrained him. As they rolled him over, they found the loaded 9 mm handgun under his body.
Poore’s criminal history included two prior felony convictions in 2011, one for aggravated battery and the other for burglary while armed with a dangerous weapon. At sentencing, Judge Conley took into account that Poore’s earlier convictions were at a very youthful age, but also considered the fact that Poore possessed the firearm while under State supervision for his earlier convictions.
The charge against Poore was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison and Monona Police Departments and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson 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.
Man Charged with Selling Migratory BirdsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – A Cuban citizen living in Madison, Wisconsin is charged with 3 counts of violating the Migratory Bird Trafficking Act in an indictment returned on October 12, 2022, by a federal grand jury sitting in Madison. The indictment is announced by Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin.
Jorge Luis Iglesias, 60, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison yesterday and was detained in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow, November 17, at 9:00 a.m.
The indictment charges Iglesias with 3 counts of selling migratory birds, specifically Yellow-faced Grassquits, in violation of federal law. The indictment alleges that he sold the birds on April 21, May 5, and December 29, 2020.
If convicted, Iglesias faces a maximum penalty of 2 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber 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 4 Years for Illegal Receipt of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ka’Toine Richardson (a.k.a. Kado), 20, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 4 years in federal prison for receiving a handgun while facing state felony charges. This prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release.
On March 18, 2022, Richardson faced eleven felony charges in Dane County, Wisconsin cases. Charges included burglary armed with a dangerous weapon and burglary to building or dwelling, bail jumping felonies, possession of a firearm after being adjudicated delinquent, resisting an officer, and 1st and 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety. These charges are pending, and Richardson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Despite these charges, Richardson obtained a firearm on March 18, 2022, by stealing it from another person. Richardson possessed the firearm until March 23, 2022, when he was arrested.
In imposing the four-year sentence, Judge Peterson reflected on Richardson’s criminal history, his pending state charges, and the threat he posed to public safety. In addressing Richardson, Judge Peterson stated that he “makes people unsafe” and that the “community reasonably perceives [Richardson] as a threat.“ The four-year sentence, Judge Peterson concluded, specifically deterred Richardson from endangering the public, and, with three years of federal supervision, gave Richardson on opportunity to turn his life around.
The charge against Richardson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Fitchburg Police Department with assistance from the Madison Police Department, the Dane County Sheriff’s Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea 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.
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.
Janesville Woman Charged with CARES Act Fraud Scheme
Olivia Spellman, 35, Janesville, Wisconsin, is charged with seven counts of mail fraud. The indictment alleges that from August 2020 to April 2021, Spellman engaged in a fraud scheme to collect unemployment insurance (UI) benefits authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The indictment alleges that Spellman used the names of other individuals, as well as her own name, to obtain UI benefits from multiple state workforce agencies in Alabama, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin. The indictment alleges that she attempted to cause a fraud loss amount of $1,026,508 and caused an actual fraud loss amount of $506,097 in requests and payments for unauthorized UI benefits from the aforementioned states.
If convicted, Spellman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against her are the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber is handling the prosecution.
Madison Woman Charged with Wire Fraud & Money Laundering Related to CARES Act Loans
Sharon Johnson, 54, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering related to applications for Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loans available to small businesses for job retention and other expenses, and for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) for small businesses that experienced substantial financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, both authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
The indictment alleges that Johnson applied for and received two PPP loans and an EIDL for Gray Enterprises, LLC, a company incorporated by Johnson in 2018. The indictment alleges that Johnson provided fraudulent information in the applications concerning the number of people employed by Gray Enterprises and the company’s payroll and other expenses. The indictment alleges that the Internal Revenue Service has no records showing Gray Enterprises reported business income or employed any people in the tax years 2018 through 2020. The indictment alleges that Johnson received approximately $109,773 as a result of the fraudulent applications and that she used some of these proceeds for personal expenses.
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud count and 10 years on the money laundering count. The charges against her are the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick Elgersma is handling the prosecution.
Sun Prairie Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography
Robert D. Sutton, Jr., 51, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, is charged with four counts of producing child pornography and four counts of committing these felony offenses involving a minor while he was an individual required by federal or other law to register as a sex offender. The indictment alleges that on four occasions between March 2019 and May 2021, Sutton used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Sutton used a cellular telephone to produce videos of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
If convicted, Sutton faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison on each production charge, and a mandatory penalty of 10 years on each charge of committing a felony offense involving a minor while he was an individual required to register as a sex offender.
The charges against Sutton are the result of an investigation by the Sun Prairie Police Department and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Dane County District Attorney’s office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution.
Trempealeau County Man Charged with Producing Child Pornography
Stephen Hans Jenkins, 37, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, is charged with three counts of producing child pornography and two counts of committing a felony offense involving a minor while he was an individual required by federal or other law to register as a sex offender. The indictment alleges that on December 31, 2020, Jenkins used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing two visual depictions of the conduct and that the visual depictions were transferred in interstate commerce from Nevada or Utah to Wisconsin. The indictment also alleges that on July 4, 2017, he used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct and that the visual depiction was transferred in interstate commerce from Utah to Wisconsin.
If convicted, Jenkins faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison on each production charge, and a mandatory penalty of 10 years on each charge of committing a felony offense involving a minor while he was an individual required to register as a sex offender.
The charges against Jenkins are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Village of Trempealeau Police Department, Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Ogden City (Utah) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Distributing Methamphetamine
Matthew J. Yancey, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with five counts of distributing methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that Yancey distributed methamphetamine on five occasions in June and July 2022, and that one of the distributions involved 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
If convicted, Yancey faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison on the count alleging the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and a maximum of 20 years on each of the other four distribution counts. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
California Woman Charged with Attempting to Possess Methamphetamine for Distribution
Heather Carter, 49, Santa Monica, California, is charged with attempting to possess 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that she attempted to possess the methamphetamine on September 23, 2022.
If convicted, Carter faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison. The charge against her is the result of an investigation by the Crawford and Vernon County Sheriffs’ Offices, West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant US. Attorney Chadwick Elgersma is handling the prosecution.
Mexican Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.
Obed Sargento-Cruz, 30, a citizen of Mexico found in Portage County, Wisconsin, is charged with reentering the United States after previously being deported and removed. The indictment alleges that he was found in the United States on November 4, 2022.
If convicted, Sargento-Cruz faces a maximum penalty of 20 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 Aaron Wegner is handling the prosecution.
Madison & Chicago Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl-Laced Heroin DeliveriesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Keith L. Harris, 29, of Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced Friday, November 4, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 6 years in federal prison for distribution of over 40 grams of a substance containing both heroin and fentanyl. Harris pleaded guilty to this charge on August 4, 2022. Derrell Bramlett, 31, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for that offense on October 19, 2022. Bramlett pleaded guilty on July 21, 2022.
Beginning in early December of 2021, Harris sold heroin laced with fentanyl to a confidential informant in four controlled buys monitored by police. The final sale arranged by Harris took place near Fordem Avenue in Madison on January 11, 2022, and involved 50 grams of fentanyl-laced heroin. On this occasion, Harris had co-defendant Derrell Bramlett make the delivery to the informant.
At the time of the drug sales by Harris, he was on active federal supervision following his release from federal prison after serving 2 years for possession of stolen firearms. In July 2018, Harris was convicted of possessing firearms that had been stolen in a brazen burglary of PT Firearms in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. During that burglary on October 20, 2017, a group of individuals used a stolen vehicle to ram the front of the firearms store in the early morning hours, gaining access to the store and escaping with 14 firearms.
In sentencing Harris, Judge Conley stated that the offense was aggravated by the fact that Harris chose to commit more serious drug trafficking offenses while under federal supervision for his previous gun offense, as well as directing Bramlett in conducting the final delivery. Conley observed that Harris not only chose to commit the new offenses for his own profit but was callous to the danger of the fentanyl substance he was selling to others.
The charges against Keith Harris and Derrell Bramlett were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson.
Serial Burglar Sentenced to 42 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chief Judge James D. Peterson of the Western District of Wisconsin sentenced Ahmeeshadye Curtis, 36, Madison, Wisconsin to 42 months in federal prison for conspiring to transport and transporting stolen goods worth over $5,000 across state lines. Judge Peterson ordered the federal sentence be served consecutive to the 30-month state sentence Curtis is currently serving for burglary-related crimes in Ohio. Curtis was convicted following a four-day trial in federal court in Madison.
The government presented evidence at trial that from November 2019 through December 24, 2019, Curtis conspired with Carl Carter, 39, also of Madison, to commit seven burglaries and attempt another of stores in Iowa, Ohio, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, and to travel across state lines with the stolen merchandise. The stolen merchandise included cell phones (primarily Apple iPhones), other electronics, and jewelry. Two of the burglaries occurred in Janesville, Wisconsin on November 28, 2019.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson described the burglaries as “high-level property crimes” and emphasized the impact the crimes had not only on the owners of the stores, but on the workers of the stores who no longer felt that they worked at a safe and secure location. Curtis’ criminal history, which included numerous other thefts and a burglary in Ohio that occurred after Curtis was federally indicted and failed to report to jail in this case, also played a role in the significant sentence.
Carter pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and was sentenced on January 4, 2021, to 30 months in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Janesville, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Wausau, and Everest Metro Police Departments in Wisconsin; the Creston and Cedar Falls Police Departments in Iowa; the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department in Ohio; the Minnetonka and Woodbury Police Departments in Minnesota; and the Rockton Police Department in Illinois. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Corey and David Reinhard.
Iowa Man Sentenced to 84 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dillan Boydston, 39, Waukon, Iowa was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 84 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Boydston pleaded guilty to this charge on July 20, 2022.
During the course of a long-term, multi-agency investigation, law enforcement officers obtained evidence that Christopher Fernette, Carl Rabe, and Dillan Boydston distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in western Wisconsin. Investigators also learned that Fernette purchased methamphetamine from multiple people, including a source-of-supply in Minnesota and an individual named Pa Yang.
On April 3, 2021, investigators followed Fernette and Boydston as they crossed into Wisconsin from Minnesota. When the car stopped at a tavern in Ferryville, a deputy from the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office approached Fernette and asked for permission to pat him down for weapons. Fernette consented to the pat down but attempted to hide a small plastic baggie in his hand. When the deputy questioned Fernette about the object in his hand, Fernette tossed the baggie and became combative. A fight ensued and the deputy eventually detained Fernette.
After the altercation, the deputy located the baggie which contained a personal use amount of methamphetamine. The deputy also found a discarded black canvass tool bag that contained approximately three pounds of methamphetamine. The deputy used his canine partner to sniff the car that Fernette had been driving. When the canine alerted, investigators searched the car and found $17,200 in cash.
During post-arrest interviews, Fernette and Boydston admitted that they traveled to Minnesota and purchased the three pounds of methamphetamine from Boydston’s source-of-supply. Fernette told investigators that he and Boydston planned to split the methamphetamine with Rabe in Wisconsin. Boydston also explained that he received methamphetamine as payment from Fernette for arranging the drug deals.
On June 29, 2022, Judge Conley sentenced Fernette to 10 years in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Judge Conley also ordered Fernette to forfeit the $17,200 found in the car.
On October 20, 2021, an investigator from the Richland-Iowa-Grant Drug Task Force arrested Rabe after witnessing a drug transaction between Rabe and another person in Lancaster, Wisconsin. The investigator searched Rabe’s car and found 425 grams of methamphetamine. Rabe pleaded guilty in the Western District of Wisconsin to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Judge Conley sentenced Rabe to 96 months in prison on July 20, 2022.
On February 18, 2021, officers in Onalaska, Wisconsin arrested Yang following a traffic stop where she admitted to possessing approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine. Yang pleaded guilty in Western District of Wisconsin to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 17, 2022.
The charges against Boydston, Fernette, Rabe, and Yang were the result of an investigation conducted by the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie du Chien Police Department, Richland-Iowa-Grant Task Force, Dakota County (Minnesota) Drug Task Force, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma is prosecuting this case.
Stevens Point Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alexander Kucharski, 21, Stevens Point, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 5 years in prison for distributing child pornography. This term of imprisonment will be followed by 12 years of supervised release.
Kucharski was arrested after law enforcement determined that he was creating and administering numerous Kik chat-groups devoted to exchanging child pornography. Whenever a chatroom would get shut down due to the nature of the content, he would open a new one. Each of these rooms had 50 members before they were shut down. Judge Peterson found that by administering these chat rooms, the defendant facilitated the continued victimization of numerous children.
The charge against Kucharski was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Stevens Point Police Department, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, and Plover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Eau Claire Man Charged with Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – An Eau Claire, Wisconsin man is charged with wire fraud, identity theft, and money laundering in a 25-count indictment returned on October 12, 2022, 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.
Robert Carter, 43, made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison yesterday and was detained in custody pending a detention hearing scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today.
The indictment charges Carter with 17 counts of wire fraud, 2 counts of identity theft, and 6 counts of money laundering. The indictment alleges from April 2016 to January 2021, Carter engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions and other businesses. The indictment alleges that Carter obtained credit cards and loans from financial institutions by providing false information on applications, including listing false employment, false income, false ownership of real estate, false length of time of ownership and residence at his home, and using the identity of another person.
The indictment further alleges that Carter made false statements, material omissions, and provided false documents to various business owners and investors to obtain a business’s identification and proprietary information and use this confidential data to apply for loans without the permission or knowledge of the actual business owners. The indictment alleges that the amount of proceeds Carter obtained as a result of the fraud scheme totals $511,177.
If convicted, Carter faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each wire fraud and money laundering charge. The identity theft charges each carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 2 years and federal law requires that any sentence on these charges be served consecutive to any other prison time imposed.
The charges against Carter are the result of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the U.S. Trustee’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber 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.