MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Quo Vadis Lewis, 40, Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced on January 3, 2025, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 150 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine. He was also sentenced for possessing firearms as a felon. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Lewis pleaded guilty to these charges on October 9, 2024.
In February 2022, Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force officers began investigating a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking organization operating in Wausau, Wisconsin. The multi-year investigation involved the seizure of drug-laden packages from the mail, controlled purchases of narcotics, and seizures of firearms and large quantities of drugs from residence searches. From the investigation, officers believe the drug trafficking organization was distributing kilograms quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine.
Quo Vadis Lewis, as well as Tommie Haney, were identified as the local leaders of the drug trafficking organization. Lewis was responsible, in part, for bringing in large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine to the Wausau area from out-of-state drug suppliers. One of the ways the drugs were brought into Wisconsin was through the mail. The investigation showed that a series of packages were mailed from California to addresses associated with Lewis in Wausau during 2021 and 2022. In March 2022, US Postal Inspectors seized two 11-pound packages sent from California to Lewis’ apartment. One of the packages was searched and contained approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine.
On June 28, 2023, officers with the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force executed search warrants at the residences of some of the primary members of the drug trafficking organization, including Lewis. Officers found three handguns, a loaded extended magazine, quantities of ammunition, cash, and an ounce of cocaine at Lewis’ residence. Officers found additional drugs and a gun during the search of the coconspirators’ residences. Evidence of Lewis’ DNA was found on all three of the firearms found at his residence. He is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley highlighted that Lewis played a key role as a leader of a drug trafficking organization involved with “incredible” quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine. Judge Conley determined that a significant sentence for Lewis was necessary to protect the public.
Eight others were also charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Teala L. Kumbera was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced on November 14, 2024, to 54 months in federal prison. Shandel L. Mohr was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine and sentenced on December 3, 2024, to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison. Tommie Haney, Edwin Lewis, Craig C. Gates, and Troy A. Olsen have all pleaded guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced in the coming months. Samuel A. Teague is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on January 6, 2025, and Shelby Gutch is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on January 7, 2025.
The charges against Lewis were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force comprised of investigators from the FBI, Wisconsin State Patrol, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Everest Metro Police Department, Wausau Police Department and Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program. The Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations.
Last Update: Jan 06, 2025 11:08 am CST
