David Stone III, Drug Conspiracy, Wisconsin 2022

MADISON, WIS. – A Minnesota man, David Stone III, 29, of St. Paul, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his leadership role in a large-scale heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine conspiracy in Northwestern Wisconsin.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Stone was distributing heroin and methamphetamine in Northwestern Wisconsin in 2019 and 2020. In February 2020, he was incarcerated on an unrelated matter, but investigators listened to over 3,000 hours of phone calls he made from jail and learned that he was orchestrating the drug-trafficking operation while in custody.

Stone called his source in Minnesota to arrange for the sale of the drugs and then called his co-conspirators in Wisconsin to arrange for the pickup. He was very specific in the calls to his co-conspirators, directing them when to leave Wisconsin, how much to pay for the drugs, how to break them down into smaller quantities, and where to redistribute them.

Stone controlled every aspect of the operation and was considered the leader for purposes of sentencing. His relevant conduct includes approximately 270 grams of methamphetamine and 75 grams of fentanyl. He has an extensive criminal history that is largely drug and alcohol related, but with some crimes involving violence and weapons.

U.S. District Judge William M. Conley remarked that the 10-year sentence was appropriate given Stone’s significant criminal history, flippant attitude towards supervision, and the scale of the drug-trafficking operation. Stone is the second of the conspiracy to be sentenced. Marcie Leoso was sentenced on January 26, 2021, to 5 years in prison. The three other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to federal charges.

The charges against David Stone III were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation; Ashland Police Department, Washburn Police Department, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; Red Cliff Police Department; and Wisconsin State Patrol. The prosecution of the cases has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.

David Stone III was sentenced on an exact date was not specified, but was stated to be recently.

The defendant’s name is David Stone III, his crime is conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and he is from St. Paul, Minnesota. He was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

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