GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – A large-scale investigation is taking place in Brown County.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office released a short statement on Tuesday saying that authorities at the Federal, state and local level are involved.
They also indicated that tribal authorities are involved and that search warrants are still being served.
Upon review of Brown County Jail bookings, nearly two dozen people have been jailed on drug-related charges in recent days.
At this time, it remains unclear how many of those are involved in this investigation.
On Tuesday afternoon, some of the suspects appeared in court.
36-year-old Darin Walls was the first to appear.
Brown County Assistant District Attorney Wendy Lemkuil revealed that the investigation has been ongoing since last summer.
She adds that Walls was a co-conspirator and mid-level in the drug trafficking investigation.
According to Lemkuil, Walls sold drugs to an informant and he faces charges that include manufacturing and delivering marijuana, cocaine, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.
His cash bond was set at $20,000.
Ruben Ortiz, who did not appear in court, is the alleged leader of the drug trafficking ring and Walls, along with others, reported to him.
37-year-old Jonathan Patton was the second man in court.
Patton is listed as the owner over Cover 2 Sports Bar and Lounge in downtown Green Bay and his drug transactions happened at the bar, with money laundering involved.
He faces charges that include manufacturing/delivering marijuana, selling marijuana, and maintaining a drug trafficking place.
41-year-old Cedric Cohen was described as Ortiz’s right-hand person.
According to Lemkuil, he purchased one to two pounds of marijuana per month from Ortiz and sold smaller amounts to friends.
Cohen’s cash bond was set at $250,000.
Others appearing in court included: 18-year-old Maximillano Garcia, 21-year-old Arreon Purnel, 21-year-old Jovan Rush, 32-year-old Ingrid Sanchez, 24-year-old Benjamin Thurber, and 22-year-old Zsatavia Vales.
Criminal complaints likely won’t be filed in the case for another two weeks and it was revealed that many of the documents are sealed.
The sheriff’s office has promised a more detailed release “in the coming weeks.”
