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Merrill Residents Among Six Facing Federal Charges for Bringing Meth to Wisconsin

PIXABAY.COM

Six people are facing federal charges. The Wisconsin Attorney general says they were transporting large amounts of meth from Arizona to Wisconsin.

Three of the people charged are from Merrill. Matthew White,36, TJ Myers, 32, and Amy Pehlke, 33, are each charged with conspiracy to distribute meth.

Levi Bagne, 30, of Buckeye, Arizona, Corey Freyermuth, 38, of Oshkosh, and Krista Sparks, 26, of Phoenix, Arizona are also facing the same charges.

Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a news release the six people charged were running a meth distribution operation for nearly two years starting in June of 2019 through May 2021.

In addition, Myers is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution on June 8, 2020.  Pehlke and White also are charged with distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.  The indictment alleges that Pehlke distributed the drug on July 23, 2020, and White did so on July 28, 2020.  Bagne and Freyermuth are charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine for distribution on September 2, 2020.

Federal investigators found two of the people from Arizona were mailing meth to a man in Oshkosh.

Law enforcement made multiple seizures over the last year.

In total, agents seized about 20 pounds of meth and 14 guns.

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of property constituting or derived from proceeds of the conspiracy, including real property located in Buckeye, Arizona; $5,866 in U.S. currency seized on July 23, 2020, in Merrill; $1,180 in U.S. currency seized on April 8, 2021, in Merrill; and $31,220 in U.S. currency seized on April 8, 2021 in Schofield, Wisconsin. 

Bagne and Sparks were arrested in Arizona on May 26.  The same day, Freyermuth was arrested in Oshkosh and Pehlke was arrested in Merrill.   Myers and White are in state custody on state charges.  Bagne and Sparks have made an initial appearance in Arizona; no date has been set for their appearance in U.S. District Court in Wisconsin.  Pehlke and Freyermuth had detention hearings in federal court in Madison on June 1 and June 2, respectively.   Pehlke was released Monday morning on court-imposed conditions, and Freyermuth remains detained.

If convicted, they each face a minimum of 10 years in prison.

Katie Thoresen is WXPR's News Director/Vice President.
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