Suspects apprehended in Dodge County drug ring bust

The Reporter Staff
http://www.fdlreporter.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 20481/1985

JUNEAU — A drug ring that allegedly imported large quantities of drugs into Dodge County has been dealt a crippling blow.

Several suspects who allegedly operated the ring for nearly five years were charged Friday afternoon in Dodge County Circuit Court.

"In my 20 years with the Sheriff's Department, I have never seen a network of drug activity as I have with this group," said Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls. "They were well organized and had a great deal of experience in what they did. Sooner or later, they slip up and open the door for law enforcement to get in."

Nehls said the group consisting of Mary Liebenow, 40, Alfredo Lopez, 43, Joel Lopez, 25, Sergio Lopez, 33, and Ricardo Macias, 37, all of Beaver Dam, allegedly dealt primarily in cocaine and marijuana.

He outlined the allegations against the five:

"Cocaine sales cumulatively exceeded hundreds of ounces with tens of thousands of dollars changing hands," Nehls said.

Authorities from several agencies, he said, arrested the five suspects in the Madison and Beaver Dam areas on Thursday night.

"These arrests will bring closure to a very lengthy drug investigation that began in January 2003 with some of the group's activity dating back as far as June 2002," he said.

The investigation, Nehls said, revealed that the suspects in custody orchestrated the transport and sale of marijuana in the Beaver Dam area.

"We believe that they drove to either Kansas City, Kansas, or Houston, Texas, to pick up the marijuana and bring it to Dodge County," he said.

Authorities also suspect the group transported illegal drugs via commercial bus to Dodge County. Quantities of marijuana transported would exceed 25 pounds per trip, Nehls said.

The investigation also shows that on dozens of occasions, U.S. funds were electronically wired to Texas for the purpose of purchasing illegal drugs to transport to Wisconsin, he said. Authorities have also recorded several undercover buys of both marijuana and cocaine from the group of dealers, Nehls said.

During the bust Thursday night, authorities seized numerous vehicles as a result of the investigation, financial records and boxes of documents that will assist authorities in the investigation, he said.

"We're not ruling out more arrests associated with the investigation," Nehls said.

The investigation was a joint effort of the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation and the Dodge County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Unit. Agencies that assisted include the Dane County Sheriff's Department, Dane County Airport, Beaver Dam Police Department, Town of Beaver Dam Police Department, and Federal Immigration and Custom Enforcement.


"This was a tremendous closure to an extensive and lengthy investigation," Nehls said. "I watched a very high level of outstanding support and teamwork. That's how we get things done."

Alfredo Lopez is charged with five counts of manufacture/delivery cocaine and is being held in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.

Joel Lopez is charged with four counts of manufacture/delivery of cocaine and is being held in the Dodge County Jail in lieu of $250,000 cash bail.

Bail was set at $500,000 for Sergio Lopez, who is charged with nine counts of manufacture/delivery of cocaine and two counts of possession with intent to deliver marijuana.

Liebenow is charged with one count of manufacture/delivery of cocaine and is being held in the Dodge County Jail in lieu of $15,000 cash bail.

Ricardo Macias is charged with two counts of manufacture/delivery of cocaine and is being held in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.