United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MADISON, Wis. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tom Lewis, 29, De Soto, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to three years in federal prison for using a telephone to facilitate the of distribution of methamphetamine. Lewis pleaded guilty to this charge on Feb. 19, 2019.

Lewis agreed to join with Roberta Draheim, the leader of a methamphetamine distribution operation in La Crosse, to purchase two ounces of methamphetamine from her new source in California after her previous source disappeared. While they waited for the package of methamphetamine to arrive in the mail, Lewis used a telephone to arrange to distribute methamphetamine to Draheim.

Lewis joined with Draheim only five days after getting released from state custody on a separate matter. Judge Conley described Lewis as continuing to engage in the sale of multiple substances, including methamphetamine, while on state supervision.

Lewis and five other individuals were charged for their roles in Draheim’s methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. All six individuals have pleaded guilty and Lewis was the last to be sentenced.

The charge against Lewis was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in Wisconsin and California; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; La Crosse Police Department; Prairie du Chien Police Department; and Dane County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper. 

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