After a 4-month long investigation into drug activity through Sawyer, Washburn and Barron Counties, four persons have been arrested. Through a press release issued on May 1, the Lac Courte Oreilles Police Department announced that three individuals from Spooner were charged, and another was arrested in Barron County after a traffic stop.
Shane Miller, age 46, Brandon Bartle, age 31, and Kristin Root, age 39, all from Spooner, WI have been arrested as a result of the LCO Police investigation in collaboration with the Washburn County Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation.
According to the press release, the investigation culminated with the execution of a search warrant in Washburn County and Sawyer County on April 25, 2024. During the search warrant execution numerous items consistent with drug trafficking were recovered along with illegal narcotics.
Also as a result of this investigation Barron County Sheriff’s Department conducted a traffic stop resulting in the arrest of Tomi Jo Quagon, age 42, of Stone Lake and the recovery of 449 grams of liquid testing positive for meth and 23 grams of meth.Â
Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald released his own statement that on Thursday April 25th, 2024 at 12:38pm the Barron County Drug Unit received a tip of a vehicle with drugs being transported in it. A traffic stop was conducted on this vehicle and the driver, Quagon, was arrested on a probation warrant.
A search of the vehicle was conducted and it was discovered that the driver attempted to dispose of meth into a liquid substance.
The total street value of the recovered grams of meth was about $2300 and Fitzgerald said they are working with the State Crime Lab to determine the street value of liquid substance.
Quagon is being held in the Barron County Jail on a probation hold, awaiting formal charges by the Barron County Districts Attorney’s Office.
The LCO Police press release went on to give special thanks to Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation, Washburn County Sheriff’s Department, Wisconsin State Patrol, Sawyer County Sheriff’s Department, Spooner Police Department, Barron County Sheriff’s Department, Rice Lake Police Department, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department, Goodhue County Sheriff’s Department (MN), St. Paul Police Department (MN), and the DEA for their assistance in this case.