Grimy Times has learned of a recent conviction in the Eastern District of Wisconsin, where Austin A. Kaquatosh, a 24-year-old man from the Menominee Indian Reservation, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in a larger drug trafficking organization.
According to court documents, Kaquatosh conspired with others, including Mitchell E. Oshkosh and Woody Nahquaddy, to distribute synthetic cannabinoids, also known as ‘Ish’, on the reservation. The group obtained synthetic drugs from Milwaukee, purchasing up to two pounds per trip over nearly a year.
The investigation, led by the Menominee Tribal Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Native American Drug and Gang Initiative, the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, revealed that each trip involved spending approximately $2,000-$2,500, after which the synthetic drugs were repackaged for distribution from designated residences in Keshena and Neopit on the Menominee Indian Reservation.
Abuse of synthetic cannabinoids on the Menominee Indian Reservation became a public health crisis during this period, with numerous calls for medical service to assist users who had adverse reactions to synthetic drugs like those distributed by the defendants. Symptoms suffered by users included seizures, extremely high blood pressure, high body temperature, catatonia, and disorientation.
Austin A. Kaquatosh entered a guilty plea in June 2017 and was sentenced on August 15, 2017, to 24 months’ imprisonment followed by 60 months on supervised release.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier.
Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the serious nature of the offense, which involved the sale of a substance that caused great harm to the Menominee Indian community. The judge’s intention was to deter the defendants and anyone else from preying on the weaknesses of others in the community.
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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