December 1, 2022 – Fond du Lac Co., WI. – Today local, state, and federal law enforcement officials announced the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office filing of methamphetamine and fentanyl conspiracy charges in Fond du Lac County Circuit Court against 10 defendants, including one defendant from Michigan, as result of an investigation began in early 2022.
The joint investigation is being conducted by the City of Fond du Lac Police Department, Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Drug Unit, and Drug Enforcement Administration. District Attorney Toney said: “The allegations involve the historical delivery and distribution of over 100 pounds of methamphetamine in 2022 with an approximate street value exceeding $1 million and the early stages of fentanyl distribution in Fond du Lac County.
Approximately 3.25 pounds of methamphetamine and 280 grams of fentanyl were seized during the investigation. The fentanyl seized was enough to kill every resident of Fond du Lac County, which has an approximate population of 104,000. We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those that pollute our community with dangerous drugs and ensure those drug dealers are held accountable. This is ongoing investigation and we expect additional defendants will be charged.”
Fond du Lac Police Chief Aaron Goldstein said “Sheriff Waldschmidt and I are committed to
aggressively investigating and shutting down drug trafficking operations in the greater Fond du Lac area. I am so proud of the teamwork and inter-agency collaboration of FDLPD and FDSO working together with our federal, state, and local partner agencies to effectively dismantle this large-scale drug trafficking operation and arrest those individuals involved in it.
“Our Officers and Deputies working in close cooperation with the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit (LWAM) was vital to investigative efforts that prioritized safety in our Fond du Lac communities.”
The following defendants have been charged with Conspiracy to Manufacture or Deliver >50 gram of Methamphetamine, a Class C Felony punishable by up to 40 years of imprisonment and a fine up to $100,000:
Defendant Case No. Status Cash Bond
Melvin Kemp 22CF867 In custody $500,000
Julie Kurczek 22CF889 In custody $250,000
Samantha Nett 22CF849 In custody $250,000
Jason Norton 22CF905 Active Warrant
Kyla Ott 22CF906 In custody $250,000
Dalton Wojkiewicz 22CF907 Active Warrant
Joshua Kerns 22CF901 In custody $200,000
Anthony Tynan 22CF908 Active Warrant
Eugene Jackson 22CF904 In custody $100,000
Taylor Retzleff 22CF909 In custody $250,000
District Attorney Toney said “Three defendants have active arrest warrants, and we are asking for the public’s assistance in locating them as well as any additional information the public may have related to these defendants which might aid the investigation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.”
“The Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group – Drug Unit remains diligent in
positively impacting public safety throughout the Fox Valley,” said LWAM Project Director
Jeremiah Winscher. “This joint investigation between LWAM, the City of Fond du Lac Police
Department, Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, DEA – Green Bay Resident Office, the WI
DOJ – Division of Criminal Investigation as well as the Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s Office showcases law enforcement’s commitment in working together to hold offenders who chose to distribute dangerous drugs within our communities responsible for their criminal actions.”
Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt said, “It’s important to note that at the same time our agencies are engaged in task force based multi-state drug investigations, our agencies also have sheriff’s deputies and police officers patrolling our streets 24/7 seeking out local drug traffickers. It is not uncommon for these officers to make street level drug arrests that grow into much larger drug task force investigations. Our agencies will continue to target drug traffickers of all kinds through both street level enforcement and multi-jurisdictional task force enforcement, all in an effort to keep drugs out of our community and hold drug offenders accountable for their actions here.”
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Wesley Kottke and District
Attorney Eric Toney.