Man gets prison for large quantities of meth following Fairchild traffic stop

Dan Holtz, The Leader-Telegram, Eau Claire, Wis.
·2 min read
1

Jan. 30—EAU CLAIRE — A former Ladysmith man will spend five years in prison for having a large quantity of methamphetamine in his vehicle during a traffic stop in Fairchild.

Nicholas G. Witt also had two previous methamphetamine-related criminal convictions, authorities say.

Witt, 29, now of Stanley, was sentenced recently in Eau Claire County Court to felony counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Judge Sarah Harless ordered Witt to spend five years on extended supervision following his release from prison.

As conditions of supervision, Witt cannot drink alcohol or have contact with known drug dealers or users.

Witt was also fine $1,036.

According to the criminal complaint:

An Eau Claire County Sheriff's deputy was driving in Fairchild just before 7 p.m. on March 25, 2021, when he saw a vehicle with a Minnesota license plate driving on Humbird Street. It also displayed a temporary Wisconsin plate and three temporary tags. The deputy then activated his emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop.

The deputy identified the driver as Witt and told him he had an unauthorized license plate. Witt said he just bought the vehicle and had not yet removed the Minnesota plate. He said the temporary tags were his and registered to the vehicle. He said he was on his way home to Ladysmith.

While talking with the deputy, Witt was looking away and appeared nervous. After doing a records check, the deputy learned Witt was a convicted felon.

Authorities then decided to conduct a search of Witt's vehicle.

They found a bundle of cash totaling $10,160. Witt then told authorities there was a semi-automatic handgun under the driver's seat. Deputies found the gun was loaded without a round in the chamber.

Deputies then found two plastic bags containing 106 grams of methamphetamine.

Authorities also found another bundle of cash in the vehicle totaling $3,250. They found another $2,421 in cash in Witt's wallet.

Also inside the car, authorities found unused needles, fixed-blade knives and about 100 clean plastic bags. Five phones and a marijuana vape pen were seized.

Witt was taken to the Eau Claire County Jail after authorities learned he was wanted for a probation hold.

Witt was previously convicted of felony counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver in June 2014 in Eau Claire County and March 2020 in Vilas County.