Seven Defendants Arrested in St. Croix Tribal Land Drug Investigation
| U.S. Attorney’s Office July 20, 2009 |
MADISON, WI—Stephen P. Sinnott, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the unsealing today of three indictments returned by a federal grand jury in Madison on July 16. The following individuals were charged in the July 16 indictments and the indictments have been unsealed following arrests earlier today in northwestern Wisconsin by law enforcement agents from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; St. Croix Tribal Police Department; Burnett County Sheriff's Department; the Native American Drug and Gang Initiative; and Wisconsin State Patrol:
Indictment One |
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| Shana L. Corbine, 29 | 1 count of conspiring to distribute cocaine base; 1 count of operating a house for distributing cocaine base; 3 counts of distributing cocaine base; and 2 counts of distributing cocaine. |
| Michael D. Hammond, 32 | 1 count of conspiring to distribute cocaine base; and 3 counts of distributing cocaine base. |
| Shaleah F. Reynolds, 21 | 1 count of conspiring to distribute cocaine base; and 2 counts of distributing cocaine base. |
| Ericka J. Reynolds, 22 | 1 count of conspiring to distribute cocaine base; and 2 counts of distributing cocaine base. |
Indictment Two |
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| Buck Zehner, 33 | 1 count of operating a house for distributing crack cocaine. |
| Janeen Mosay, 40 | 1 count of operating a house for distributing crack cocaine. |
Indictment Three |
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| Linda Lightfeather, 48 | 1 count of operating a house for distributing crack cocaine. |
All of the defendants are Burnett County residents. Each of the charges carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Eight other individuals have been convicted and sentenced in federal court as a result of this joint investigation by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies:
Name |
Crime of Conviction |
Sentence Imposed |
| Joseph Merrill | Distribution of Crack Cocaine | 4 years |
| Manley L. Williams | Distribution of Crack Cocaine | 8 years, 4 months |
| Christifer Sonnenberg | Distribution of Crack Cocaine | 5 years, 6 months |
| Jean Sonnenberg | Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine | 19 years, 7 months |
| Bruce Sonnenberg | Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine | 24 years, 4 months |
| Amanda Sonnenberg | Distribution of Crack Cocaine | 3 years, 10 months |
| George Rainey | Distribution of Crack Cocaine | 14 years |
| Bruce Rainey | Distribution of Crack Cocaine | 17 years, 6 months |
Sinnott stated that today's arrests are the result of a long-term investigation being conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The investigation is continuing and additional indictments and arrests are expected. Assistant United States Attorney John W. Vaudreuil is handling the prosecution of these cases. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.