Eau Claire man sentenced to 8 years for distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine
MADISON, WIS. – A 41-year-old Eau Claire, Wis., man was sentenced to eight years in federal prison Thursday for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Kevin J. Bell, who pleaded guilty to the charge on July 14, also was sentenced in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to four years of supervised release.
The charge stemmed from an investigation on Oct. 16, 2020, when West Central Drug Task Force officers bought more than 53 grams of methamphetamine from Bell through a confidential informant in Eau Claire.
Officers also bought about 13 grams of methamphetamine from Bell through a confidential informant in Eau Claire on Dec. 1, 2020.
At the time of these incidents, Bell was on state supervision for four prior cases related to trafficking methamphetamine. His supervision in those cases was revoked, and he now is serving a state prison sentence with an expected release date of March 4, 2027.
U.S. District Judge William Conley ordered that the federal sentence should run concurrently with the state sentence.
During sentencing, Conley highlighted Bell’s lengthy criminal history and continued involvement in drug trafficking, saying it was unacceptable and merited a significant sentence.
Conley also noted that Bell’s history of selling drugs contributed to other addicts’ downfalls.
The charge against Bell was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force; Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark and Eau Claire county sheriffs’ departments, the Eau Claire Police Department and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
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