Wausau Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Possession

Monday, October 2nd, 2023 -- 3:01 PM

Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Trenton McCorkle, 27, Wausau, Wisconsin was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

This prison term will be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release.  McCorkle pleaded guilty to this charge on May 23, 2023. On December 14, 2021, officers attempted to stop McCorkle for reckless driving after a trooper with the Wisconsin State Patrol observed him weaving and speeding through heavy traffic during poor winter weather conditions.

McCorkle lost control of his car and crashed into a traffic pole, which fell over. McCorkle then unsuccessfully tried to flee from the crash site. Prior to the crash, a witness observed McCorkle’s passenger throw a black bag from the car.

Officers located the bag, which contained approximately half a pound of methamphetamine, a .45 caliber handgun, three loaded magazines, and several rounds of ammunition. McCorkle later admitted to officers that he had been dealing a significant amount of methamphetamine in the Wausau area over the previous year.

McCorkle is prohibited from legally possessing a firearm as a result of several felony convictions, including a 2019 conviction for possession of methamphetamine. McCorkle was on state supervision for that conviction at the time of the conduct in this case. He also had been charged in three separate state court cases, including one related to methamphetamine distribution.

At sentencing, Judge Peterson noted that McCorkle’s conduct posed a real danger to the public. Judge Peterson also stated that McCorkle’s continued methamphetamine dealing not only impacted the people to whom he dealt, but also contributed to the continued criminality of those above him in the world of drug trafficking.

The charge against McCorkle was the result of an investigation conducted by the Central Wisconsin Narcotics Task Force, Wisconsin State Patrol, Rothschild Police Department, Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor L. Kraus handled the prosecution.

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