Last of six conspirators sentenced in La Crosse methamphetamine case

MADISON, Wis. (WKBT) — On Wednesday, Tom Lewis, 29, from De Soto, Wisconsin was sentenced to three years in federal prison for his involvement in a six-person La Crosse conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Lewis was sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley for using a telephone to facilitate the distribution of methamphetamine, a charge he plead guilty to on February 19. The other five individuals involved in the conspiracy also plead guilty and were previously sentenced.

One of those individuals, Roberta Draheim, was the leader of a methamphetamine distribution operation in La Crosse. Lewis agreed to work with Draheim to purchase two ounces of methamphetamine from her source in California. Her previous sources had disappeared, and this was her new source, according to the United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin Scott C. Blader.

Lewis had gotten released from state custody on a separate matter five days before joining with Draheim. While under state supervision, Lewis was continuing to engage in the sale of multiple substances, including methamphetamine, according to Judge Conley.

While they waited to receive the package of methamphetamine in the mail, Lewis used a telephone to make arrangements to distribute methamphetamine to Draheim, according to U.S. Attorney Blader.

The charge against Lewis was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Wisconsin and California; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; La Crosse Police Department; Prairie du Chien Police Department; and Dane County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.

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