Three More Defendants Sentenced in St. Croix Tribal Drug Investigation

February 10, 2010 - MADISON, WI—Stephen P. Sinnott, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that three more defendants were sentenced today in the St. Croix tribal land drug investigation -- Linda Lightfeather, 49; Buck Zehner, 34; and Zehner’s wife, Janeen Mosay, 40, all of Webster, Wis.

U.S. District Judge Lynn S. Adelman, a visiting judge from the Eastern District of Wisconsin, sentenced these three defendants for their role in operating crack houses on St. Croix tribal lands from which numerous individuals distributed crack cocaine. Judge Adelman sentenced Lighfeather to five months in custody (which has been completely served as of today because she has been in custody since September 17, 2009). He sentenced Zehner to eight months in custody and Mosay to six months in custody.

With today’s sentencings, nineteen 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:

• 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 J. Reynolds Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine 1 year, 6 months
• Shaleah Reynolds Distribution of Crack Cocaine 2 years
• Michael D. Hammond Distribution of Crack Cocaine 12 years, 7 months
• Steven R. Lang Distribution of Methamphetamine 4 years

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; Federal Bureau of Investigation; St. Croix Tribal Police Department; Rice Lake Police Department; Barron County Sheriff's Department; Burnett County Sheriff's Department; Sawyer County Sheriff’s Department; Polk County Sheriff's Department; the Native American Drug & Gang Initiative; and the Wisconsin State Patrol.

As set out above, nineteen defendants have now been convicted of federal drug

offenses as a result of this investigation. Frankie Bildeau, 24, Webster, Wis., pleaded guilty today and will be sentenced on April 14, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. Five additional defendants indicted on December 2, 2009 are awaiting trial.

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