Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Grand Jury Returns Indictments
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Milwaukee Man Charged with Drug & Gun Offenses
Travis Lee Young, 38, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and with renting a place for the purpose of distributing controlled substances. The indictment also charges Young with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and with possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The indictment alleges that he possessed the drugs and a handgun on August 3, 2022, and that he rented a motel room in Eagle River, Wisconsin on that day for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine.
If convicted, Young faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the methamphetamine charge, 20 years on the charges involving fentanyl and cocaine and the charge of renting a place for the purpose of distributing controlled substances, 10 years on the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 5 years on the charge of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. The penalty for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime is a mandatory minimum of 5 years; federal law requires that this sentence be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The charges against Young are the result of an investigation by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office, the Eagle River Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the prosecution.
Wood County Man Charged with Drug & Gun Offenses
John W. Andereggen, 55, Vesper, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute. The indictment also charges Andereggen with being a felon in possession of firearms. The indictment alleges that on October 6, 2022, he possessed the methamphetamine and cocaine and five firearms, including three rifles, a 9mm pistol, and a 12-gauge sawed-off shotgun.
If convicted, Andereggen faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the methamphetamine charge and a maximum penalty of 20 years on the cocaine charge. The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms has a maximum penalty of 10 years.
The charges against Andereggen are the result of an investigation by the Wood and Marathon County Sheriffs’ Offices; the Marshfield, Wisconsin Rapids, Nekoosa, Stevens Point, and Plover Police Departments; the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anita Marie Boor is handling the prosecution.
Fitchburg Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm & Ammunition
Derrick W. Johnson, 25, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges that on December 5, 2022, Johnson possessed a loaded 9mm handgun and 9mm ammunition.
If convicted, Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Fitchburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan is handling the prosecution.
The Young, Andereggen, and Johnson cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.