Four people have been charged criminally in Sawyer County Circuit Court following an investigation into the suspected distribution of heroin, methamphetamine, prescription pills and other narcotics on and around the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) reservation.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Sawyer County Circuit Court, in February 2018, the LCO Tribal Police Department received information about suspected selling of drugs which led law enforcement to coordinate numerous controlled buys of heroin. The criminal complaint states that multiple controlled buys were conducted with a confidential informant throughout the month of May 2018.
Online circuit court records show that four individuals have been charged criminally stemming from this investigation: Jeremy Shumate, Scott Westbrock, Tawny Saltz, and Mariah Trepania.
Investigating officers obtained a search warrant for the apartment of Tawny Saltz and Scott Westbrock and the search warrant was executed on May 16, 2018, and resulted in the seizure of numerous prescription pills including heroin, marijuana, and numerous items of drug paraphernalia used for consuming controlled substances.
When the search warrant was executed, Saltz, Shumate, Trepania, and Westbrock were all arrested. The criminal complaint states that at least one small child was also inside the apartment.
Officers also located and seized over $1,200 in US currency, in addition to locating numerous $20 bills that had been utilized during the controlled buys of heroin and were identified by serial numbers.
According to the criminal complaint, during the course of the controlled buys, Shumate told the confidential informant that he would travel to Minneapolis, MN to purchase heroin which he then would bring back to Sawyer County to sell.
Bail bond hearings were held on May 18, 2018, for all four individuals and all were placed on cash bail bonds with requirements to cooperate with the Sawyer County/Bail Bond Monitoring Program including testing of breath, blood or urine.
Jeremy Shumate of Hayward, WI has been charged with Class E Felony Conspiracy to Commit Manufacture/Deliver Heroin (<3-10 grams); Class F Felony Possess w/Intent Heroin (<=3 grams); 3 counts of Class F Felony Party to a Crime Manufacture/Deliver Heroin (<3 grams); and misdemeanor Possess Drug Paraphernalia.
Scott Westbrock is facing charges of Class I Felony Maintain Drug Trafficking Place; 4 counts of Misdemeanor Possess/Illegally Obtained Prescription; Misdemeanor Possession of THC (Marijuana); and Misdemeanor Possess Drug Paraphernalia.
Charges of Class I Felony Maintain Drug Trafficking Place; 4 counts of Possess/Illegally Obtained Prescription; Class I Felony Possession of THC (2nd+ Offense); and Misdemeanor Possess Drug Paraphernalia have been filed against Tawny Saltz stemming from the incident.
Mariah Trepania is charged with Class E Felony Conspiracy to Commit Manufacture/Deliver Heroin (>3-10 Grams); Class F Felony Possess with Intent-Heroin (<=3 grams); 3 counts of Class F Felony Manufacture/Deliver Heroin (<3 grams); and Misdemeanor Possess Drug Paraphernalia.
Online circuit court records show that all four individuals were scheduled to appear in Sawyer County Circuit Court on June 19, 2018. Shumate made his court appearance while still in the custody of the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Office; Trepania posted her cash bail on May 31 and made her court appearance on the 19th.
Saltz and Westbrock had also posted their cash bail bonds but did not make their court appearance hearings on June 19th. The Court authorized arrest warrants for Scott Westbrock and Tawny Saltz due to their failure to appear
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Jun 21, 2018 9:52 am CDT
