WI DOJ Agents Partner With Lake Winnebago Area MEG Unit, Brown County Drug Task Force and The DEA in Menasha Area Narcotics Investigation
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
MENASHA - On October 28, 2009 confidential informants working with the Wisconsin Department of Justice purchased approximately 82.51 grams of cocaine and 6 grams of marijuana from Norman A. Gallardo-Santos, in the Town of Grand Chute in Outagamie County. The confidential informants paid Gallardo-Santos $700 for one of the three ounces of cocaine, and owed an additional $1,400 for the other two ounces of cocaine. The confidential informants were advised the marijuana sample would be free, as Gallardo-Santos had access to multiple pound quantities of marijuana of various qualities. Following this transaction, Gallardo-Santos was followed to 1095 Stillmeadow Lane, City of Menasha.
On November 12, 2009, undercover agents conducted a controlled delivery of $1,400 pre-recorded U.S. currency to Gallardo-Santos as payment for the two ounce cocaine debt, in the Town of Grand Chute. During this transaction, Gallardo-Santos was utilizing a yellow Chevrolet Colorado LS pickup truck.
Surveillance agents observed Gallardo-Santo and three other individuals enter the Chevrolet truck and drive to a U.S. Bank in Appleton. Surveillance agents observed an individual, later identified as Baldemar Valdovidos-Zepeda exit the vehicle and enter the bank. Several minutes later Valdovidos-Zepeda exited the bank and entered the vehicle. The vehicle was then followed to Gallardo-Santos's residence in Menasha.
A search warrant was subsequently executed on this account, on 11/13/2009, and $686.97 was seized. Records associated with the aforementioned account show numerous deposits occurring at the U.S. Bank in Appleton, with numerous withdrawals occurring in Washington State within 24 hours of the deposit. According to bank personnel, numerous individuals have been observed making deposits into this Appleton account.
On 11/12/2009, officers executed a search warrant at 1095 Stillmeadow Lane in the City of Menasha, the residence of Norman Gallardo-Santos and Maria Guadalupe Zepeda. As a result of the search, approximately 118.2 pounds of marijuana, 10.4 grams of cocaine, a loaded .38 caliber semi-automatic handgun with additional ammunition, $40,000 from the basement and $27,990 from the master bedroom were seized.
Norman A. Gallardo-Santos has been charged with conspiring to deliver and possess with the intent to deliver cocaine and marijuana. A copy of the criminal complaint is available at:
http://www.doj.state.wi.us/news/files/GalladoSantos-Complaint.pdf.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to the United States Attorney's Office Eastern District of Wisconsin.
A defendant enjoys the presumption of innocence. The prosecution must prove its allegations at trial beyond a reasonable doubt.
