Patrick J. Buswell, a 51-year-old man from Holcombe, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to 9 years in federal prison for armed methamphetamine trafficking.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin, Buswell pleaded guilty on January 16, 2026, to possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
On June 15, 2025, Buswell led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds over 100 miles per hour on his motorcycle. After reaching a dead end, Buswell continued to flee on foot. When arrested, he was found with over 50 grams of methamphetamine in his pockets, along with $1,600 in cash.
In a small cooler in his motorcycle, law enforcement found a loaded firearm, baggies containing additional controlled substances, and digital scales.
At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson evaluated Buswell’s actions in this case along with his lengthy criminal history. Judge Peterson recognized the need to protect the community from Buswell’s dangerous behavior, including his history of fleeing law enforcement.
Buswell will serve 9 years in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release. The charges against Buswell were the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office, West Central Drug Task Force, Clark County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ladysmith Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts to combat drug trafficking and violent crime in the Western District of Wisconsin.
Related Federal Cases
- John Yang, Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms Offenses, Wisconsin 2020 · Texas
- Fifteen Defendants, Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking, Kentucky 2024 · Kansas
- Leroy Spinks, Heroin Trafficking and Firearm Offenses, Wisconsin 2021 · Illinois
- Sarah Waggoner, Methamphetamine Distribution, Wisconsin 2022 · Alabama
- David Miller, Armed Career Criminal, Kentucky 2024 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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