SHAWANO, WI- The first of eight sentences for a Shawano drug conspiracy was handed down Friday.
56-year-old Georgia Johnson of Shawano was sentenced to five years in prison, after being found guilty on felony charges of Manufacturing and Delivering Heroin, Manufacture and Delivering Amphetamine and Manufacturing and Delivering Cocaine.
She was also found guilty of a felony Maintaining a Drug Trafficking place charge, as she owned a house on Center Street where drugs were sold. According to the complaint, Johnson would allow the ring leader to stay at her home.
The case dates back to April of last year when eight arrests were made for what customers called a “pharmacy”.
“While the wheels of justice are slow, they are turning and things happen,” Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber says.
39-year-old Jaral McCollum “Sport” was described as the ring leader, selling drugs across Northeast Wisconsin and in Milwaukee County. The complaint states that McCollum would travel to Milwaukee and bring drugs back to Shawano and had 7 0ther co-conspirators involved in selling. Some of the homes where drugs were sold were near grade schools and the Shawano Recreational Center, areas where children would be.
Law Enforcement had been investigating McCollum’s actions since 2017, and was arrested in June of 2018 during a traffic stop.
Others charged in the case are:
Kyle Collins, 30 of Shawano. Collins is accused of bringing customers to McCollum.
Christine Hensel, 30 of Shawano. Hensel is accused of owning a house on Center Street where drugs were sold.
Conjetta Lazzaro, 27 of Shawano. Lazzaro is accused of owning a house on Center Street where drugs were sold.
Andrea Hokenstad, 41 of Shawano. Hokenstad is accused of owning a house on Center Street where drugs were sold.
Craig Johnston, 43 of Shawano. Johnston is accused of being a major customer of McCollum.
All are in various stages of court proceedings.
“This is prime example of what will happen when we get our hands on dealers and those who are distributing dangerous drugs in our community,” says Bieber.
He says people should take note of this.
“We know that drugs ruin people’s lives and we need people to know what is happening. In 2019, we had a huge talking point of the arrest but what happens next?. Here is your update and here is the example of what can happen if you are in the drug dealing life.
Is five years of your life worth it? I think the answer to that is no.”
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