By Shereen Siewert
A judge on Tuesday issued a warrant for one of three suspects arrested in 2019 in a single traffic stop that took thousands of doses of methamphetamine off the street.
Treg Leder, 32, had a scheduled court appearance Tuesday in Marathon County Circuit Court for four separate cases including one related to the November 2019 traffic stop. In that case, Leder faces charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of heroin with intent to deliver, possession of an illegally-obtained prescription and other related counts.
During his initial court appearance in 2019, Leder was ordered held on a $75,000 cash bond, the first $25,000 of which was to be paid in cash. But the cash bond portion was reduced in October 2020 to $2,500 by Circuit Judge Greg Strasser, an amount Leder paid days later.
On Tuesday, Leder did not appear in court as scheduled, online court records show. His attorney, Julianne Lennon, said she previously requested a video appearance for her client, who told her he was ill. But court officials said they never received the request, and prosecutors then asked for a warrant, telling the judge they sought to revoke all bonds in the case. A probation warrant was already issued for Leder, according to online court records.
Police say the traffic stop that spurred the charges resulted from a records check that showed the registered owner of the vehicle did not have a valid driver’s license. Police stopped the vehicle, then searched it after learning Leder had a warrant for his arrest and spotting a bag of suspected methamphetamine on the ground next to where Leder had been standing, according to the criminal complaint.
Inside the vehicle, police located multiple bags filled with drugs along with drug paraphernalia, five cell phones and $1,781 in cash, the complaint states. Marathon County Assistant District Attorney Kyle Mayo in 2019 told Wausau Pilot & Review said the bags located contained suspected methamphetamine and were sent to the state crime lab for confirmation.
The total amount of methamphetamine seized was more than 250 grams, or about 1/4 kilo, police said. A typical dose is .10 grams.
Judge Strasser issued a $1,500 bench warrant for Leder to cover all cases and set a bond forfeiture hearing for June 22.
