HOLMEN, WI – Todd Valentine, 53, of Holmen, Wisconsin, is headed to federal prison for a full decade after a multi-agency investigation revealed a large-scale methamphetamine operation. Valentine was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 12 years behind bars, followed by 5 years of supervised release. The sentence stems from a guilty plea entered on October 24, 2022, to distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
The bust began in early 2021 when law enforcement received credible information about Valentine’s drug dealing. A routine traffic stop by Marquette County Sheriff’s Office deputies on April 19th quickly escalated after a K9 unit alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. A search uncovered 71 grams of methamphetamine. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.
The following day, La Crosse law enforcement, leveraging Valentine’s status as a supervised releasee from a prior gun and drug conviction, executed a search warrant on his Holmen residence. Inside Valentine’s bedroom, officers found a staggering 7 pounds of methamphetamine, alongside $5,800 in cash. The search didn’t stop there. A detached shed on the property yielded a Ruger .22 caliber handgun, its serial number deliberately scratched off – a clear attempt to evade tracing. Valentine, with a rap sheet stretching decades, was legally prohibited from possessing any firearm due to numerous prior felony convictions.
During two separate interviews with investigators, Valentine confessed to possessing the methamphetamine found at his home and admitted to moving “multiple pounds” of the drug per day. He also acknowledged ownership of the defaced handgun. The revelation came as no surprise to authorities, considering Valentine was already on state supervision for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute and illegally possessing a firearm. That supervision was revoked in August 2021, landing him a two-year state prison sentence – a sentence clearly insufficient to deter his criminal behavior.
Judge Peterson didn’t mince words during sentencing, emphasizing the sheer volume of methamphetamine Valentine was peddling and his relentless pattern of criminality. The judge cited Valentine’s extensive criminal history, noting a staggering 32 prior convictions accumulated over the last three decades. This wasn’t a first-time offender; this was a career criminal consistently choosing a life of crime.
The investigation was a collaborative effort led by the La Crosse Police Department, La Crosse County and Marquette County Sheriff’s Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven P. Anderson and Chadwick M. Elgersma secured the conviction and argued for the lengthy sentence, signaling a clear message that large-scale drug trafficking will not be tolerated in Western Wisconsin. Valentine’s case serves as a grim reminder of the persistent drug problem plaguing communities nationwide.
Related Federal Cases
- Erin House, Large-Scale Meth Fentanyl Cocaine Trafficking, Akron OH… · Alabama
- Sergio Steven Vasquez-Gonzalez, Meth Cocaine Trafficking, California · Iowa
- Andre Little, Fentanyl Meth Trafficking, OH 2024 · Ohio
- Junior Dismantled, Meth Trafficking, California 2024 · Nevada
- Fernando Arellano, Meth Trafficking, California 2024 · California
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking