By Jacob Mathias

A Plover man who admitted to selling methamphetamine to pay for an overseas wedding could see up to 40 years behind bars.

Plover police, along with the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force, arrested Pao Xiong, 34, following a joint search of his home on the 1100 block of Dodd’s Lane, as well as a fire safe he owned that was being stored in a home on the 1100 block of Emerald Lane.

During the search, investigators uncovered 56 grams of meth, several documents containing Xiong’s name and about $24,000 in cash.

Xiong told officers he’d been selling meth for the past several months to at least four customers. He also traveled to Minnesota to obtain the drugs, according to his statement, on at least three occasions to sell locally.

Xiong said he was saving the proceeds of his drug sales to pay for his travel and wedding in Laos.

According to the criminal complaint, investigators learned Xiong had been scaling back his meth sales in Plover, likely selling about 20 ounces in the two months prior to his arrest.

Xiong is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Portage Co. Circuit Court on September 6 at 1:30 PM for the charge of possession with intent to sell over 50 grams of methamphetamine. If convicted he faces up to a $100,000 fine, 40 years imprisonment or both.

He is currently being held in jail on a $3,500 cash bond. If he posts bond, he is prohibited from leaving Wisconsin.