During the evening hours of Saturday, April 3rd, 2021, Crawford County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit Deputy with K-9 Breck observed a vehicle that was suspected to contain a large amount of methamphetamine. The vehicle was traveling south on State Highway 35 in the Village of Ferryville. The vehicle was described as a Mitsubishi Eclipse. Shortly after meeting the fully marked K-9 unit, the Eclipse pulled off the highway and stopped on the south side of Ferryville. The occupants exited the vehicle and started walking. The K-9 Deputy approached the occupants who were identified as Christopher Fernette (age 44) of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and Dillan Boydston (age 38) of Waukon, Iowa.
The K-9 Deputy observed Fernette attempting to conceal a plastic baggie containing a crystal-like substance in his hand. The deputy attempted to retrieve the baggie and Fernette resisted and threw the baggie. After a brief struggle, the deputy was able to detain Fernette. Numerous other Sheriff’s Deputies and Officers from The Prairie du Chien Police Department arrived on the scene. A search of the vehicle and area around the vehicle was conducted and K-9 Breck was utilized. A black tool-bag containing a clear plastic one-gallon size zip-lock bag with a large amount of methamphetamine was discovered during the search. The methamphetamine weighed approximately 3 pounds with an estimated street value of $60,000.00. Also found during the search were used hypodermic needles and $17,000 dollars in cash. The plastic baggie that Fernette had thrown tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed approximately 7 grams. A second vehicle, driven by Jessica Brown (age 42) of Waukon, Iowa, was also searched and methamphetamine and paraphernalia were discovered. As a result of the above, Fernette and Boydston, were arrested and transported to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. Fernette has been charged with the following: -Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine Greater than 50 grams -Possession of Methamphetamine -Resisting/Obstructing an Officer -Possession of Drug Paraphernalia -Probation Violation Boydston was charged with the following: -Possession with Intent to Deliver Methamphetamine Greater than 50 grams -Possession of Drug Paraphernalia -Possession of THC Brown was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine. This case is a culmination of an extensive investigation which the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin Department of Justice-Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa-Richland-Grant Drug Task Force, and Prairie du Chien Police Department have been conducting into the illegal trafficking of substantial amounts of methamphetamine from Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota to Southwest Wisconsin. The case currently remains under investigation, as numerous individuals have been identified as being involved in the illegal sales, distribution, and use of methamphetamine.