By Shereen Siewert
A suspect in a major methamphetamine trafficking operation in Wausau who was released on bond is back in custody after a chase and a search that netted significant amounts of suspected heroin and meth, court records show.
The arrest is the latest in a string of major drug-related events traced to 31-year-old Treg Leder, according to court filings.
Leder was one of three people arrested in March 2017 after a 36-year-old man overdosed and nearly died. The overdose was one of three in Wausau in a span of just a few days. In that case, Leder was convicted of manufacturing or delivering heroin and in December 2017 was sentenced to three years in prison followed by four years of extended supervision. After being released from prison Leder was arrested again in November 2019 after a traffic stop that took more than 2,000 doses of methamphetamine off the street.
As a result of the stop, 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. Initially, Leder was ordered held on a $75,000 bond, the first $25,000 to be paid in cash. But in October, Leder’s attorney successfully petitioned Circuit Judge Greg Strasser to reduce the bond amount to $50,000 with the first $2,500 paid in cash. Court records show Leder posted bond on Nov. 5, but on May 3 a warrant was issued after he failed to show for a scheduled court appearance.
The same day, a Wausau Police officer spotted Leder and tried to pull him over, but Leder allegedly fled, accelerating to speeds estimated at about 60 mph in a residential area of the city. The officer discontinued the chase for safety reasons, but Leder was later located at a Wausau convenience store and taken into custody. While being interviewed by investigators, Leder allegedly directed officers to a Wausau hotel, where they discovered more than 80 grams of meth, 10 grams of heroin/fentanyl, marijuana, multiple items of drug paraphernalia and pills, a police report shows.
On May 5, prosecutors filed new charges against Leder including possession of methamphetamine greater than 50 grams with intent to deliver, possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver, fleeing an officer and other additional counts. He is now being held on a $150,000 cash bond and remains behind bars.
A court appearance on the latest charges is set for June 22.
