Taylor County Woman Sentenced to 42 Months for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

 MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ashley Speicher, 33, Lublin, Wisconsin was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 42 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin.   This prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. 

On February 6 and 20, 2020, Speicher’s boyfriend, Travis Hanson, sold heroin to a confidential informant.  On February 25, 2020, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance on Hanson and observed him driving with Speicher from their hotel in Menomonie, Wisconsin to meet his drug source, Jermaine Stapleton, in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Hanson and Speicher returned to Menomonie with Stapleton following in a separate vehicle.  They were all taken into custody upon arrival back in Menomonie.  In Stapleton’s car, officers located 236 grams of methamphetamine, 11.5 grams of heroin, small amounts of crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as a digital scale and baggies.  Officers located a drug ledger in Speicher’s purse.

In an interview with law enforcement, Hanson admitted to being involved in drug trafficking and selling large quantities of methamphetamine.  He further admitted to travelling to St. Paul on February 25, 2020 to meet Stapleton to pick up methamphetamine and heroin.  He was supposed to help Stapleton sell the methamphetamine and heroin in Wisconsin.  Hanson said Speicher was with him for almost all of his drug dealings and she helped him find lower-level drug customers.  In a separate interview, Speicher admitted to travelling with Hanson to pick up methamphetamine. 

Hanson pleaded guilty to his role in this methamphetamine conspiracy and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison by Judge Conley on September 25, 2020.  Stapleton pleaded guilty on September 3 to possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and is scheduled for a sentencing hearing before Judge Conley on November 24, 2020.  Stapleton faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of 40 years.

The charge against Speicher was the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force; Chippewa County, Dunn County, and Eau Claire County Sheriffs’ Departments; Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, and Menomonie Police Departments; Drug Enforcement Administration; and Dunn County District Attorney’s Office.  The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson.