By Shereen Siewert
A 28-year-old Wausau man who sold multiple pounds of methamphetamine while illegally armed will spend 12 years in federal prison, according to a U.S. Dept. of Justice news release.
Jacob A. Willox was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge William Conley after being convicted on charges of distributing 50 or more grams of methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, said in a news release that Willox’s prison term will be followed by five years of supervised release.
In May 2020, a confidential informant purchased three ounces of methamphetamine from the suspect in Wausau after Willox indicated he had 12 ounces of methamphetamine for sale. Then, in October 2020, officers arrested Willox at a residence where he attempted to flush additional methamphetamine down a sink.
Officers recovered some of the drugs and discovered nearly $30,000 in drug proceeds, a drug ledger, a firearm magazine and brass knuckles at the residence.
Further investigation revealed Willox was responsible for selling multiple pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Wausau area, O’Shea said, and regularly possessed firearms during his drug deals.
Willox was prohibited from legally possessing firearms as the result of prior felony convictions.
At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that Willox’s crimes contributed to the bigger issue of methamphetamine addiction in the community, and that his possession of firearms while dealing posed an additional danger. Judge Conley reasoned that a sentence of 12 years was appropriate to protect the community and offer rehabilitation to Willox, who has a history of drug addiction.
The charges against Willox were the result of an investigation conducted by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Anderson and Taylor L. Kraus prosecuted this case.
