Marinette Woman Sentenced on Heroin Charges

James L. Santelle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on June 3, 2014, Karen Ann Sanchez (age: 38) was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by Chief United States District Judge William C. Griesbach. She had previously entered a guilty plea to a charge of using a communication facility (i.e., a telephone) to facilitate the distribution of heroin.

According to her plea agreement and other documents filed with the court, Sanchez worked in concert with eight other co-defendants to facilitate the movement and delivery of heroin to the Marinette, Wisconsin, and Menominee, Michigan areas from a primary supplier in Chicago.     

The court noted the “devastating effect” that heroin use has had in the Marinette / Menominee region.  The court described the coordinated actions of Sanchez and her co-defendants as essentially “a drug co-operative” designed not for the purpose of creating a profit, but to increase purchasing power and increase the frequency of coordinated “heroin runs” to Chicago. 

The case was investigated by Special Agents from the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Department of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Marinette Police Department, Marinette Sheriff’s Office, Menominee (Michigan) Police Department, Menominee (Michigan) Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Chicago HIDTA Task Force, Chicago Police Department, Northeast Wisconsin Tri-County Drug Enforcement Group, and the Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.