Three Merrill men are now among those facing charges in connection with a central Wisconsin marijuana ring. Jay Peterson, 50, Anthony Crabb, 55, and Peter Miller, 57, were each charged in Langlade County Circuit Court last week with one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana.
Peterson, a Prairie River Middle School teacher, has been placed on a non-disciplinary administrative leave in connection with marijuana charges, which also involve several Antigo educators.
Peterson, along with Miller, retired Merrill High School activities director, and Crabb, a retired Merrill teacher, who still recently worked as a substitute teacher in the district, told investigators that they had purchased marijuana from Jay’s brother, Scot Peterson of Antigo. Miller said he had been buying from Scot Peterson for about 15 years. Crabb said he had been buying marijuana from Scot Peterson since 2006. According to the criminal complaint, Jay Peterson told investigators that he had obtained marijuana from his brother Scot on occasion.
Crabb is not working as a substitute teacher for MAPS during the investigation. Miller, who has a contract as a basketball official, is also not being asked to work in that capacity for the time being.
Also charged last week were Antigo educators Mark Incha, 45, of Bryant, a special education teacher and football coach; and Joseph Adams, 54, of Antigo, a teacher at Antigo High School. Both face one misdemeanor count each of possession of marijuana. Both also told investigators that they purchased marijuana from Scot Peterson, a retired Antigo teacher and coach.
Incha and Adams have been placed on administrative leave by the Antigo School District, along with two other Antigo educators named in court documents.
Scot Peterson was charged in January with 26 counts, including 24 felony counts of manufacture/delivery of marijuana.
Also charged in January was John Lund, a principal and head varsity football coach with the Antigo School District. Lund was charged in Langlade County Circuit Court with several felony charges including possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, manufacture/deliver marijuana and maintaining a drug trafficking place. A judge ruled last week that Lund will face trial in the charges. He has resigned his position with the Antigo School District.
A third man who has been charged in the case is Bradley Maahs, John Lund’s brother-in-law of Wittenberg. He faces three counts of manufacture/delivery of marijuana.
The Langlade County Sheriff’s Department began an investigation in August 2011 into the distribution of controlled substances coming into Langlade County. They learned that a Milwaukee drug dealer was bringing controlled substances to the Wausau, Antigo and Bass Lake areas. He was allegedly selling quantities of marijuana to Scot Peterson, who distributed it widely in Langlade County. Scot Peterson admitted selling marijuana to his friends for the past five years. According to the complaint, Lund told investigators he had delivered marijuana to his friends about 3 or 4 times over the past 3 years. He said he would get the marijuana from Maahs. Investigators found evidence that Maahs was growing marijuana.