Three in Wisconsin plead guilty in drug conspiracy

MADISON - Three Superior residents pleaded guilty this week in federal court in connection with attempting to bring more than 8 pounds of methamphetamine to Superior earlier this year.
Roby Reed, 50, and Brady Holmes, 48, pleaded guilty Wednesday and Jill Welsh, 47, pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiring to possess and distribute methamphetamine.
Reed was in Phoenix and Welsh in Superior in February when they exchanged Facebook messages, which Superior police determined were arrangements to set up a drug transaction, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman said.
“Do you want a little of this or that?” Reed inquired of Welsh, to which Welsh replied, “I want all of the same,” Altman told District Judge William Conley.
In early March, Superior police followed Welsh and Holmes to Kansas, where they were arrested with a quantity of methamphetamine later determined to be 8.8 pounds, Altman said. Reed subsequently was arrested in Phoenix.
“That’s a lot of meth,” Altman told a reporter after court.
Altman declined to disclose how authorities learned of the methamphetamine conspiracy.
Welsh did not dispute Altman’s statements about the conspiracy and confirmed that she communicated with Reed to set up the transaction.
The three defendants are in custody, and each faces 10 years to life in prison. Welsh is to be sentenced Nov. 13, Reed on Dec. 2 and Holmes on Dec. 4.
The U.S. attorney also seeks forfeiture of Welsh’s properties at 5246 S. Forest Road and 5905 County Highway K in South Range. The civil complaint alleged the properties were used in the commission of a drug offense. Altman declined to elaborate further on the alleged usage.
The government valued the Forest Road property at $125,600 and the Highway K property at $38,700.
Welsh has a mortgage with the National Bank of Commerce on the Forest Road property. The bank has indicated it would not contest the government’s seizure and sale of the property if Welsh’s unpaid mortgage balance of $49,178 is satisfied.