Meth Trafficking Sentence

LA CROSSE MAN SENTENCED TO 7 ½ YEARS FOR METHAMPHETAMINE  TRAFFICKING 

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western  District of Wisconsin, announced that Toudeng Thao, 59, La Crosse, Wisconsin was  sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 90 months in federal  prison for distributing methamphetamine and possessing methamphetamine for  distribution. Thao pleaded guilty to these charges on March 3, 2025. 

On January 25, 2024, law enforcement arrested both Thao and codefendant Joua  Thao during a traffic stop as they returned to La Crosse, Wisconsin, from Minnesota  after picking up approximately 443 grams of methamphetamine for distribution. Thao  and Joua Thao were previously married but were divorced at the time of the arrest. In  the six months before his arrest, Thao distributed or possessed for distribution over 5 ½  kilograms of methamphetamine. Thao claimed to have received methamphetamine  from multiple sources in Minnesota, California, Canada, and Mexico. He also claimed  he supplied six drug distributors. Through a series of controlled purchases, Thao and  Joua Thao sold a confidential informant a total of 203.9 grams of methamphetamine in  La Crosse. Thao also possessed a firearm during one drug transaction and sought more  firearms to traffic to his drug suppliers. 

At sentencing, Judge Conley said he was struck by Thao’s statements  rationalizing his turn to drug trafficking and found Thao’s minimal criminal history to  be puzzling at best given his violent characteristics. Judge Conley noted Thao’s  substantial drug dealing was serious enough on its own, but his involvement with  firearms, threats of violence, and history of violence against his codefendant and family  made him a serious risk to the community.  

Joua Thao also pleaded guilty and on March 20, 2025, Judge Conley sentenced  her to 5 years of probation for her role in assisting with the drug transactions. 

The charges against Toudeng and Joua Thao were the result of an investigation  conducted by the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Drug Enforcement  Administration, Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation,  

Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Prairie du Chien Police Department, La Crosse  County Sheriff’s Office, Campbell Police Department, La Crosse Police Department,  Onalaska Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney  Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.