La Crosse Man Sentenced to 90 Months for Trafficking Methamphetamine

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Christopher H. McCartney, 36, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.   This term of prison will be followed by 4 years of supervised release.  McCartney pleaded guilty to this charge on September 27, 2021.

On April 30, 2021, La Crosse Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop in La Crosse on a Chevrolet Impala being driven by McCartney.  After a positive K-9 alert, officers searched the Impala and located multiple bags containing a total of 118 grams of methamphetamine.  McCartney had $1,342 in cash on his person. 

Based on the drugs found during the traffic stop and because of McCartney’s supervision status, law enforcement officers searched his residence in La Crosse.  There they found more bags of methamphetamine which weighed a total of 78 grams, as well as $3,500 in cash. 

When interviewed by officers, McCartney admitted to selling methamphetamine for profit.

At the time of these events, McCartney was on state supervision for methamphetamine trafficking and out on state criminal bond for two other methamphetamine related cases.  His supervision was revoked and he is currently serving a sentence of 27 months in state prison.  Judge Conley ordered this federal sentence to run concurrently with the state prison sentence. 

In imposing the sentence, Judge Conley highlighted McCartney’s criminal history that included the prior conviction for methamphetamine trafficking which resulted in a six-year state prison sentence in 2016.

The charge against McCartney was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department.  The La Crosse County District Attorney’s Office also provided assistance in this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.