MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) – The man identified as a “large quantity source” for supplying methamphetamine and cocaine to a drug trafficking organization in Wisconsin has received a 12-year prison sentence.
According to a release from the United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Wisconsin, the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization out of Marathon County in February 2022.
Officials say the multi-year investigation involved the seizure of several drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and the recovery of firearms and large quantities of drugs from home searches.
Throughout the investigation, the drug trafficking organization was found to be distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
43-year-old Edwin Lewis from Park Forest, Illinois, was identified as a large source that was mailing bulk shipments of meth to the drug trafficking organization at Wisconsin locations in 2021 and 2022 including two 11-pound packages.
In April 2022, Lewis was found to be in possession of seven pounds of meth during a traffic stop in Chicago.
Following that traffic stop, members of the Marathon County organization started renting cars to drive to Illinois to pick up the large quantities of drugs from Lewis.
At sentencing, officials report that the judge said Lewis was a key member of the drug trafficking organization that saw eight others connected to the organization also get sentenced including the alleged leader of the organization 44-year-old Tommie L. Haney from Wausau.
Officials add that Lewis, prior to this sentencing, had already served a federal prison sentence for cocaine trafficking and has since doubled down by continuing to traffic “much larger” quantities of drugs in this recent case.
Lewis was officially sentenced to 12 years in prison for the following charges:
- Conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine
- Possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine
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Lewis has reportedly pleaded guilty to these charges and the 12-year prison term is expected to be followed by five years of supervised release.
No other information is available at this time.
