Three Waupaca men face felony drug charges after police found crystal meth during a traffic stop.
Edward J. Stemwedel, 24, is charged with delivery of methamphetamines, possession of methamphetamines with intent to deliver, drug trafficking, possession of narcotics and illegal possession of prescription drugs. He is charged as a repeat offender due to a May 2015 conviction for forgery uttering.
Bart C. Gruetzmacher, 49, is charged with delivery of methamphetamines, possession of methamphetamines, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Zachary P. Jones, 31, is charged with delivery of methamphetamines as party to a crime.
On the evening of Thursday, Feb. 4, Waupaca Police Officer Nate Nelson made a traffic stop on Lakeside Parkway just east of Bowling Lane. The driver, Gruetzmacher, had a suspended license.
Nelson performed a pat-down search on Gruetzmacher and reported finding eight packages of crystal meth and some marijuana. He also found a used needle and pot in the vehicle.
According to the criminal complaint, Gruetzmacher told Sgt. Mario Graceffa he had been selling meth for Stemwedel.
Gruetzmacher allegedly drove out to meet Stemwedel alongside Railroad Grade Road near Fremont. He pulled up next to a silver Jeep driven by Jones with Stemwedel as the passenger. Stemwedel allegedly handed the meth to Jones, who then gave it to Gruetzmacher.
Gruetzmacher then went to a friend’s house on State Street, where he smoked some of the meth and shared it with friends, the complaint says. He then lined up a deal to sell four-tenths of a gram to friends that night.
Gruetzmacher reportedly said Stemwedel kept an “8-ball” of meth at his home on North Washington Street, generally hidden in a cloth pocket behind his chair.
Shortly after midnight on Friday, Feb. 5, Graceffa and Nelson, accompanied by other officers, deputies and a K9 unit, went to Stemwedel’s home to conduct a search. Because Stemwedel is on probation, a search warrant was not required.
Inside Stemwedel’s home, officers found a razor blade and two lines of white crystals on a glass table. They also found a butane torch lighter, a glass bowl with burnt residue, several gem bags with crystal residue and used and new needles.
Police seized 3.4 grams of meth and 2.6 grams of marijuana, as well as oxymorphone, diazepam and suboxone.
Stemwedel reportedly told Graceffa he had been a heroin user for the past couple of years, but had quit opiates and had been using crystal meth for about two months. He said he bought approximately one 8-ball (3.5 grams) of meth per week and would sell “one point” (1/10 gram) each for $20, according to the complaint.
Stemwedel said Jones drove him to Appleton, where he bought an 8-ball of meth and Jones bought half of the 8-ball for $140. He claimed he loaned Jones the $140 and Jones sold his meth to Gruetzmacher, then paid Stemwedel back, the complaint says.
Jones told Graceffa he goes to Stemwedel’s home almost daily to shoot up meth. He said he does not have a job and usually does favors for Stemwedel in exchange for meth, the complaint says.
Jones reportedly said Stemwedel bought the meth and set up the meeting with Gruetzmacher.