Michael Wilson, a 46-year-old resident of Onalaska, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for fentanyl trafficking. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley handed down the sentence following Wilson's guilty plea on September 11, 2024.
The charges stem from an incident on July 21, 2022, when Wilson sold fentanyl during a delivery monitored by law enforcement in La Crosse, Wisconsin. A subsequent search of his Onalaska home uncovered drug packaging materials and a blender with white powder residue near a digital scale. Hidden in the ceiling were 96 grams of fentanyl and 83 grams of cocaine.
Judge Conley highlighted Wilson's "long, repeated history" of drug trafficking since he was 17 years old as influencing his sentencing decision. The judge stated that the imposed sentence plus four years of supervision post-release was necessary "to protect the public" and to provide Wilson with an opportunity to address his addiction issues.
The investigation was conducted by the La Crosse Police Department and the Dubuque County Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson prosecuted the case.