For the City Times

John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kristy Dietel, 35, Stevens Point, Wis., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 36 months in federal prison for distributing heroin. Dietel pleaded guilty to this offense on January 6, 2016.

Tiffany Bell. (Courtesy Portage Co. Jail)

Dietel is the fourth defendant sentenced by Judge Conley in connection with an investigation by the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force and Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation.  On January 14, 2016, Cody Thompson was sentenced to 30 months for distributing heroin; on January 21, 2016, Megan Pray Genett was sentenced to 24 months for distributing heroin; and on February 2, 2016, Marguerite Tompkins was sentenced to 60 months for conspiring to distribute heroin.

Three other defendants — Tiffany Bell, Hannah Hovick, and Gregory Richardson — have pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to related heroin trafficking offenses and are awaiting sentencing.

A related January 27, 2016 indictment charges four Milwaukee men—Hurley C. Jackson, 33; Terrance D. Jackson, 29; Charles D. Hall, 31; and DeWight S. Williams, 37—with conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 grams of heroin.  In addition, each is charged with distributing heroin or possessing heroin with the intent to distribute.  Their trial on this indictment is scheduled for July 25, 2016.  A charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

“Wisconsin, along with the rest of the nation, does not flinch from facing the opiate public health crisis.  Many in the medical profession, in the criminal justice system, and in local communities, have crucial roles to play to addressing this crisis,” said Vaudreuil. “That response will also include vigorous prosecution of those – like Dietel – who sell drugs to those suffering from addiction in order to feed her own drug use.”

Capt. Gary Widder from, Plover Police Dept., said the sentencing was the result of “good work by all of our drug unit guys here in Portage County.”