Last Friday, Azjuan Meriwether, age 25, from Milwaukee, was handed a 15-year federal prison sentence for offenses that shook the community to its core. This punishment came after a multi-agency investigation exposed Meriwether as the head of an armed drug trafficking network that had a role in distributing vast quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other drugs along with trafficking firearms, according to Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Richard G. Frohling.
The proactive investigation also led to Meriwether's arrest after he endangered society by leading law enforcement on a two-hour high-speed chase, during which he drove the wrong way on a highway, endangering the lives of officers and civilians alike. The chase ended in Indiana, where law enforcement discovered illegal substances and firearms in Meriwether’s vehicle. Among the items seized were approximately 375 grams of para-fluorofentanyl with heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine.
In a statement released by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Acting U.S. Attorney Frohling noted, "The conduct at issue in this case presented layer upon layer of danger to the community." He commended the dedication of federal and local agencies which, supported by the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA), worked to build the case and hold Meriwether accountable.
Christopher Amon, the ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent-in-Charge, also highlighted the 'dual threat' Meriwether's actions posed, with his possession and sale of fentanyl and Machine Gun Conversion Devices stirring significant concern. Collaborative initiatives, like those employed by the Waukesha County Drug Task Force, were crucial in linking Meriwether's firearms to violent activities, and according to Amon, taking him off the streets will drastically help to reduce crime and foster safer communities.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department played pivotal roles in pursuing Meriwether’s criminal endeavors. DEA Milwaukee District Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge John G. McGarry expressed immense gratitude toward the local sheriff's department for their unrelenting effort to dismantle violent drug-trafficking organizations. The investigation was a part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative that unites the efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies.
Numerous law enforcement bodies joined hands in arresting Meriwether, executing search warrants, and performing other critical actions related to the case. The commendable coordination included agencies such as the United States Marshals Service, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, sheriff's departments from Waukesha, Milwaukee, and Washington counties, as well as the Milwaukee and West Allis police departments, not to forget Indiana's law enforcement.
