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Two More Defendants Sentenced in St. Croix Tribal Drug Investigation

U.S. Attorney’s Office December 29, 2009
  • Eastern District of Wisconsin (414) 297-1700

MADISON, WI—Stephen P. Sinnott, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that two more defendants were sentenced today in the St. Croix tribal drug investigation: (1) Ericka J. Reynolds, 22, Shell Lake, Wisconsin, and (2) Shaleah F. Reynolds, 22, Webster, Wisconsin. Chief United States District Judge Barbara B. Crabb sentenced the defendants for their role in distributing crack cocaine on St. Croix trial lands from approximately December 2007 to June 2008. Chief Judge Crabb sentenced Ericka Reynolds to one year, six months in prison without parole and sentenced Shaleah Reynolds to two years in prison without parole.

With today’s sentencings, thirteen defendants have now been sentenced as a result of this investigation into drug dealing on St. Croix tribal lands. The previous defendants sentenced are set forth below:

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
Diana Martin Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine 9 years
Margrette Cobb Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine 13 years, 4 months
Andrew Sonnenberg Distribution of Crack Cocaine 17 years, 6 months

Ericka Reynolds and Shaleah Reynolds conspired with Michael Hammond, Shannon Corbine, and others to obtain and distribute crack cocaine on St. Croix tribal lands from approximately December 2007 to approximately June 2008. Crack cocaine was obtained from sources in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and the drugs were then sold to customers on tribal lands in northwestern Wisconsin. During the first several months of 2008, an individual working with law enforcement officers purchased crack cocaine from these two defendants and their co-conspirators on several occasions. Each of these purchases was recorded and monitored by law enforcement officers.

Acting United States Attorney Sinnott stated that today’s sentencings were the result of a long-term investigation being conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation-Narcotics Bureau; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the St. Croix Tribal Police Department; the Rice Lake Police Department; the Barron County Sheriff's Department; the Burnett County Sheriff's Department; the Sawyer County Sheriff’s Department; the Polk County Sheriff's Department; the Native American Drug & Gang Initiative; and the Wisconsin State Patrol.

As set out above, thirteen defendants have now been convicted of federal drug offenses as a result of this investigation. Six additional defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing; five additional defendants were indicted on December 2, 2009, and are awaiting trial; and one additional defendant charged on December 2, 2009, remains a fugitive.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Vaudreuil is handling the prosecution of these cases.

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