CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI – Brandon Herman, 42, is headed to federal prison for eleven years after a judge slammed him for trafficking methamphetamine and illegally packing heat. Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson handed down the sentence today, citing Herman’s blatant disregard for the law and extensive criminal history. The feds say Herman posed an ongoing danger to the Chippewa Falls community.
The bust went down May 25, 2023, when law enforcement raided Herman’s rural Lafayette County residence. They weren’t disappointed. Inside, they found a small armory – numerous handguns and a rifle. Problem was, Herman was already a prohibited person, a repeat felon barred from owning any firearms due to prior convictions for possessing, manufacturing and delivering controlled substances, *and* possessing a firearm after a previous felony. This wasn’t his first rodeo.
But the guns weren’t the only problem. A search of Herman’s safe revealed a serious amount of drugs: over 7 kilograms of marijuana and more than 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, all destined for the streets. Authorities also discovered $19,438 in cash, presumably the profits from his illegal enterprise. Herman pleaded guilty to possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing firearms as a felon on December 5, 2023.
“The defendant demonstrated a dramatic disregard for the law,” Judge Peterson stated during sentencing. That’s putting it mildly. The case was a multi-agency effort, involving the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, West Central Drug Task Force, St. Paul (Minnesota) Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg prosecuted the case.
Federal officials are framing Herman’s conviction as a win for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Justice Department program focused on reducing violent crime through coordinated law enforcement efforts. PSN specifically targets gun crime, with a focus on taking firearms out of the hands of convicted felons. This bust, they say, is a clear example of that mission in action.
Herman’s eleven-year sentence sends a message, though whether it’s enough to deter others remains to be seen. One thing’s for certain: Chippewa Falls is a little safer with Herman locked up, and the ATF is sending a clear signal that trafficking drugs and illegally possessing firearms will not be tolerated. Expect more federal pressure on similar operations in the region.
Related Federal Cases
- Derrick Russell Hoff, Gun and Meth Trafficking, Wisconsin 2023 · Wisconsin
- Khamphanh Phakousonh, Meth Distribution and Gun Crime, WI 2024 · Utah
- Victor Pennington, Meth Trafficking, Wisconsin 2024 · Wisconsin
- Dejavareah Marquise Brown, Gun & Drug Trafficking, Minnesota 2024 · Wisconsin
- Brown, Meth Trafficking, California 2024 · Iowa
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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