Wauzeka man charged with several meth-related counts

A 27-year-old Wauzeka man was charged on Nov. 16 in Crawford County Circuit Court with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of felony bail jumping, one count of carrying a concealed weapon, and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia. 

Steven Covey Holmes faces up to a total of $70,500 in fines and 21 years, 10 months in prison if convicted of all counts.

According to the criminal complaint, a sheriff’s department deputy was dispatched to a convenience store/gas station in Wauzeka on Nov. 9 for a report of a suspicious man who was talking to himself and falling asleep in a booth inside the store.

Holmes told the deputy that he was trying to get a ride to La Crosse. The deputy agreed to give Holmes a ride to a bus stop in Prairie du Chien.

The deputy then found out that Holmes was subject to bond conditions for a pending charge of felonious possession of meth in Monroe County. In that case, Holmes was released on a cash bond with conditions that prohibited him from possessing any un-prescribed controlled substances and from committing any new crimes.

The deputy saw that Holmes appeared to be under the influence and asked him what he had in his backpack. Holmes took out a set of brass knuckles from the backpack the complaint said.

The deputy secured the brass knuckles and then searched the backpack and found a ziplock bag containing a large quantity of white, crystalline substance that later weighed about eight grams and reacted positively for the presence of meth. Also found were a digital scale with white residue, and several empty baggies, according to the complaint.