Two Plead Guilty & Are Sentenced for Wausau Methamphetamine Conspiracy

MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that two individuals pleaded guilty and were sentenced this week in connection with a methamphetamine conspiracy in Wausau, Wisconsin.  Chou Xiong, 37, Wausau, pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 ½ years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.  Soua Khang, 24, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today by Judge Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.

Chou Xiong and Soua Khang conspired to distribute methamphetamine as part of a large methamphetamine trafficking operation that existed from at least November 2018 through June 2019 in the Wausau area.  Lisa Xiong, the leader of the conspiracy, brought pounds of methamphetamine into the Wausau area from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota.  Law enforcement agents seized almost 5 pounds of methamphetamine in connection with the investigation, though agents believe the conspiracy was responsible for well over 10 pounds flowing into the Wausau area.  Lisa Xiong pleaded guilty in September and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Peterson on December 17. 

Khang assisted Lisa Xiong by collecting debts from local methamphetamine distributors and supervising lower level deals.  Khang also accompanied Lisa Xiong on trips to Minnesota to pick-up large quantities of methamphetamine and acted as her back-up should anything happen.  Judge Peterson described her as the protégé to the leader of the organization. Khang was also charged in three counts with distributing methamphetamine.  Khang was responsible for approximately 120 grams of methamphetamine, but she had a much larger role as the right-hand-person to Lisa Xiong.  Khang has a significant criminal history, though this is her first federal conviction. 

Chou Xiong conspired with Lisa Xiong by traveling with her to the drug source in Minnesota, pooling money with her to buy large quantities of methamphetamine and overseeing lower-level drug distributors in the Wausau area. Additionally, Chou Xiong was charged with distributing methamphetamine that he purchased from Lisa Xiong on eight occasions. Conservatively, his relevant conduct included almost 200 grams of pure methamphetamine.  This is Chou Xiong’s first federal conviction.

Chou Xiong, Soua Khang and nine other individuals were charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in September 2019 for their roles in this methamphetamine distribution conspiracy.  Chou Xiong and Soua Khang are the second and third individuals to plead guilty and be sentenced.  On June 12, 2020, Meng Xiong, also of Wausau, was sentenced by Judge Peterson to 5 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.

The charges against these individuals were the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force; Marathon County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office; Wausau Police Department; Everest Metro Police Department; and Wisconsin State Patrol.  The prosecution of the cases has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.