GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Drug deals, violence, and large amounts of money: Brown County prosecutors revealed more details in court Wednesday afternoon about a large-scale drug investigation that put 29 people behind bars.
Ruben Ortiz, 35, is the man prosecutors have identified as the ringleader of the operation. He was issued a $500,000 cash bond.
Prosecutors say this investigation started back in the summer of 2017. It culminated recently when 18 search warrants were served.
While we likely won’t know the full scale of this case until court documents are unsealed, Wednesday’s court appearances provided more of a taste of why deputies worked this case for two years.
In Ortiz’s probable cause hearing, Brown County prosecutors outlined what they called a sample of the crimes he has committed.
“There are specific incidents set forth in here of drug deals, guns, the amount of drug debts and collection means,” said Pautzke.
Prosecutors say Ortiz is tied to at least 29 controlled drug buys, several pounds of marijuana, mushrooms, a kilo and a half of cocaine, and 328 grams of heroin. They also say Ortiz has gang ties and 5 of the 14 guns seized in the case belong to him.
“There was a seizure of thousands of thousands of dollars,” said Pautzke.
Ortiz’s 17-year-old son Franklin, 29-year-old sister Stephanie, and 58-year-old mother Nancy Skenandore made their first court appearances on Tuesday.
Stephanie Ortiz, the founder of Black Lives United in Green Bay, has been released from jail after paying her $15,000 cash bond.
Another one of Ortiz’s sons, 19-year-old Desmond Jordan, was identified Wednesday as a high-level figure in the drug enterprise. Prosecutors say in March of last year, Jordan was part of a drive-by shooting to collect drug money.
“The defendant is alleged to be involved in attempting to collect a $20,000 drug debt on behalf of Ruben Ortiz,” said Pautzke.
The owner-operators of Cover 2 Sports Bar in downtown Green Bay, Jonathan Patton and Darrin Walls, are both being held on $20,000 cash bonds in the case. Former co-workers and patrons tell FOX 11 Ortiz was at the business almost every day.
“Obviously he insulates himself very well with friends and family members,” said Pautzke.
Patton is the brother of former Packers great Charles Woodson.
Court records show Patton owes the Department of Revenue more than $16,700 in sales tax, interest, and penalties.
All charges in this drug case are expected to be filed in two weeks.
