Big bust, big break: Milwaukee area men avoid prison for up-north pot farm

Bruce Vielmetti
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

One of the bigger drug busts in Forest County — 600 pounds of marijuana growing near the Town of Armstrong Creek — has left three Milwaukee area men facing probation and some jail time, but no prison terms.

Some of the marijuana authorities said three Milwaukee area men were growing in Forest County in 2016 fills up the back of a pickup truck.

Steven P. Wasechek, 33, a former City of Milwaukee employee; Dennis J. Pratt, 52, of Waukesha; and Kevin M. Hying, 35, of Big Bend were arrested last fall as they were harvesting the plants. 

Steven Wasechek
Dennis Pratt
Kevin Hying

 

Wasechek resigned from his $47,000-a-year position as a code enforcement inspector shortly after his arrest.

Forest County officials said more than 600 pounds of marijuana were seized, along with  cocaine and drug paraphernalia from inside a residence.

All were sentenced last week after pleading guilty to some of the charges.

Wasechek pleaded guilty to five misdemeanors — possession of cocaine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and criminal damage to property. Two felony counts — manufacture of marijuana and possession with intent to deliver marijuana — were dismissed.

Forest County Circuit Judge Leon Stenz sentenced Wasechek to two years of probation with the condition he spend eight months in jail and perform 50 hours of community service. Prosecutors dropped a civil forfeiture action against Wasechek's truck, which was returned to him.

Pratt pleaded guilty to manufacture of marijuana, a felony, and possession of cocaine, a misdemeanor. A felony pot possession and two misdemeanor drug paraphernalia possession counts were dismissed.

Stenz sentenced Pratt to three years probation. As a condition, he must serve a year in jail, with work or school release, perform 100 hours of community service and not consume alcohol or enter taverns.

Hying pleaded guilty to manufacture of marijuana, a felony. Another felony and three misdemeanors were dismissed. He also got three years probation, on the condition he serve 10 months in jail, with work-release privileges, with the same alcohol and tavern restrictions as his co-defendants.