Jeremy Ratliff
Reporter
Thursday afternoon, Congressman Sean Duffy made a stop at the Lincoln County Service Center to meet with staff of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s office and local officials. As part of his visit, Duffy rendered official Congressional honor and recognition to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office as well as Lieutenant Investigator Chad Collinsworth, for his efforts in successfully closing a 3-year investigation into the sale and distribution of Methamphetamine in Central and Western Wisconsin.
The investigation led by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, resulted in the interception and apprehension of 127 pounds of Methamphetamine (valued at $5.7 million). Upon receiving the Congressional Recognition, Collinsworth was quick to credit the many personnel and agencies who assisted with the investigation including; the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; the Wausau office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit; the Wausau Police Department, and IRS Criminal Investigation unit.
In the aftermath of the investigation, 19 federal indictments were successful hence resulting in the largest single investigation and ensuing drug interdiction in the history of Lincoln County and the Western District of Wisconsin. In attendance Thursday were Sheriff’s Office administrators including; Lincoln County Sheriff Jeff Jaeger, Chief Deputy Nate Walrath, 911 Communications Center Lieutenant Tim Fischer and Lincoln County Jail Administrator David Manninen. Lincoln County District Attorney Galen Bayne-Allison was also in attendance along with Mayor Bill Bialecki and current Lincoln County Board Chairman and former Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Chief Bob Lee.