Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Four suspects have been charged and four more were taken into custody Tuesday in connection with what was being called one of the largest drug trafficking conspiracy cases ever in Shawano County.
“This is without question the largest drug case I’ve seen in my 15 years,” Circuit Court Judge James Habeck said during bond hearings for the first wave of defendants in the case.
Bail hearings were anticipated Wednesday for four more defendants who were taken into custody Tuesday afternoon.
The criminal complaint maintains that Daniel P. Hofman, 52, of Bonduel, was at the center of the conspiracy and a main supplier of marijuana that he allegedly transported here from California.
“Mr. Hofman was a large-scale processor and deliverer of a major amount of THC that comes to this area,” District Attorney Greg Parker told the court during Tuesday’s hearings.
Hofman allegedly made 73 trips to California over a three-year period, according to Parker.
Parker said Hofman was being tracked and investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies as he made his trips to and from California where the marijuana was being harvested.
The agencies, he said, included the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department, and police agencies in Minnesota and Nebraska.
“All spent some time with respect to Mr. Hofman’s organization and business,” Parker said.
Parker also said Hofman had acquired a $25,000 botanical extraction machine that was allegedly used to process THC oil, adding that Hofman had become so adept at it that the oil was 75.1 percent pure.
“It’s the first time we’ve seen one of these in our area,” Parker said.
The criminal complaint also accuses Hofman of supplying marijuana to at least two other alleged co-conspirators, Calvin W. Berndt, 22, of Stevens Point, and Joshua M. Natzke, 24, of Shawano.
Portage County authorities arrested Berndt on Monday after executing a search warrant. Among the items found was $39,570 in cash and a money counter that Berndt allegedly brought with him to Shawano County when selling marijuana.
Parker said one of the co-conspirators interviewed in the case told authorities he had paid Berndt hundreds of thousands of dollars; often buying 40 pounds of marijuana at a time at a price of $2,500 per pound.
Natzke was also “a significant part of the conspiracy,” Parker told the court, based on phone records, video surveillance and other evidence obtained during the investigation.
A search warrant executed at Natzke’s residence revealed a large cache of drugs and currency, he said.
Also charged Tuesday was Hofman’s wife, Wendy L. Hofman, 53, of Bonduel.
Parker told the court that Wendy Hofman was involved with the details of her husband’s drug business, including keeping tracks of clients and how much they owed.
Daniel Hoffman is charged with two felony counts of maintaining a drug trafficking place, felony counts of conspiracy to deliver marijuana and possession with intent to deliver marijuana while in possession of a dangerous weapon, and several misdemeanor drug counts.
Felonies charged against Natzke include conspiracy to deliver marijuana, three counts of manufacture of delivery of marijuana, including in one instance near a school, four counts of maintaining a drug trafficking place, and two counts of possession with intent to deliver marijuana. He is also charged with several misdemeanor counts.
Berndt and Wendy Hofman are each facing one felony count of conspiracy to deliver marijuana.
Each of the four defendants could face a possible maximum 15 years in prison and $50,000 fine if convicted of conspiracy to deliver marijuana.
All other felony counts each carry a maximum 3½ years in prison and $10,000 fine. However, two of the counts against Natzke could be enhanced to a maximum 10 years and $25,000 fine because of the amount of marijuana allegedly involved.
Wendy Hofman was ordered held on a $20,000 cash bond; the others were all held on $25,000 cash bonds. She is due in court for an adjourned initial appearance Monday.
Daniel Hofman was scheduled for an adjourned initial appearance on March 27.
Berndt was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on March 2, and Natzke has an adjourned initial appearance on March 3.