Sheriff’s office finds 10-pound stash in New Hope; seeks owner

By Brandi Makuski

Portage Co. Sheriff Mike Lukas said deputies are looking for whoever left more than 100 mason jars filled in marijuana on a street corner in New Hope.

A man who lives in a rural neighborhood near Amherst called Portage Co. dispatchers shortly after 2 p.m. on March 21 to report an unexpected delivery outside of his home.

“He said, ‘Hey, there are bags outside my house filled with dope,'” Lukas relayed.

When deputies arrived at the man’s home, the man explained he walked to the edge of his driveway to bring his garbage carts back to the house following Monday’s garbage collection. That’s when he noticed three large, black garbage bags placed next to the carts, which weren’t there the night before.

When deputies opened the bags, they found over 100 mason jars filled with leafy marijuana. Lukas said there were 110 jars, with one jar broken, and a plastic grocery bag filled with the drug.

Lukas said the marijuana weighed 4,575 grams—just over 10 pounds—and has a street value of about $10,000.

In Wisconsin, the sale or delivery of that amount of marijuana is a felony offense punishable by up to 12-and-a-half years in prison and $25,000 in fines.

Lukas said it’s unusual to transport marijuana in glass jars. Usually, he said, it’s carried in plastic bags. But he added it was “clear that this had a purpose,” and believes the drugs were dropped off at the home intentionally as an anonymous pickup spot for someone else.

“I can honestly say I’ve never seen this before,” Lukas said. “We’ve gotten calls where people have been growing it, and we came and harvested it for them, but this time, it was already packaged for us.”

Lukas said he was grateful that the resident called law enforcement so deputies could properly dispose of the drug, but he’s taking a lighthearted approach in seeking the culprits involved.

“Somebody’s having a bad day right now,” Lukas said, chuckling. “But whoever you are, you can come to the sheriff’s office if these are your jars before we dust them for fingerprints and find out you are, anyway. So, come pick up your mason jars and recycle them properly—we’re going to keep the 10 pounds of dope.”

Anyone with information on the mysterious delivery should contact Portage Co. dispatchers at (715) 346-1400, or Portage County Crimestoppers at 1-888-346-6600 or via the P3 app. Tipsters can remain anonymous and still be eligible for a cash reward.