PHOTO: Brown County Jail
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Stephen Preisler was convicted of bail jumping Thursday, and one amphetamine possession count was dismissed, but the bulk of the drug charges remain on track for a March 11 trial.
Preisler, 66, gained renown under the name “Uncle Fester” for his books on how to make ricin, methamphetamine and other drugs. Last year, he was charged with multiple drug manufacturing and delivery counts after items were seized from his Baird Street home. Since then, additional charges, including drug possession and bail jumping, have been added. He is scheduled to stand trial March 11.
Subsequent to the original charges, Preisler was arrested for bond violations. He was convicted Thursday of two counts, while two other bail jumping charges were dismissed.
Before the sentence was issued, Preisler cited dealing with pain on a daily basis as a reason for the drug use, saying “I regret the situation.”
Judge John Zakowski placed him on probation for 18 months, ordered six months in jail, plus regular drug tests for the bail jumping violations. With credit for time served, he has about a month to serve on the sentence.
One manufacture of amphetamine count was dismissed, as two set of lab test results showed the material was not an illegal substance.
The defense also wanted a possession of methamphetamine precursor count dismissed, but Judge Zakowski denied the motion.
Preisler returns to court March 3 for a pre-trial conference.
The first criminal complaint alleged the amount of methamphetamines allegedly found in his home could last the average user anywhere from 328 days to over 3,000 days. Preisler has repeatedly disputed that the items seized were illegal substances. Additional drug and bail jumping charges were later added.
Preisler also faces a civil suit filed by the city of Green Bay, seeking to have his Baird Street home declared a public nuisance in order to be sold or razed. No hearings are currently scheduled in that case.
Comments