Illinois man sentenced for role in supplying Wisconsin drug ring

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Timothy M. O’Shea United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin

Illinois man sentenced for role in supplying Wisconsin drug ring

Edwin Lewis, a 43-year-old from Park Forest, Illinois, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for his role in supplying a drug trafficking organization operating in Marathon County, Wisconsin. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley imposed the sentence following Lewis's guilty plea on December 12, 2024. In addition to the prison term, Lewis will undergo five years of supervised release.

The case against Lewis stemmed from an investigation by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force into a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking network in Marathon County that began in February 2022. The investigation involved various law enforcement actions, including seizing drug-laden packages and conducting controlled purchases of narcotics.

Lewis was identified as a major supplier of methamphetamine and cocaine to the organization. He reportedly sent bulk shipments of methamphetamine to Wisconsin during 2021 and 2022, including two significant packages weighing 11 pounds each. On April 29, 2022, authorities found Lewis with seven pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Chicago.

Judge Conley noted that Lewis was a key figure in the drug operation and had previously served time for cocaine trafficking. Despite this prior conviction, he continued his involvement with larger quantities of drugs.

Eight other individuals have also been charged as part of this investigation. Among them are Teala L. Kumbera and Shandel L. Mohr who received sentences of 54 months and just over a year respectively for conspiracy charges related to cocaine and methamphetamine distribution. Quo Vadis Lewis was sentenced to twelve-and-a-half years for similar charges along with firearm possession as a felon.

The extensive investigation was carried out by multiple agencies under the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force with contributions from local law enforcement bodies and assistance from the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office. The case prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Saqib Mohammad Hussain.

This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative aimed at dismantling high-level criminal organizations through coordinated efforts across federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.