Milwaukee man sent to prison for drug crimes in Menominee County

MENOMINEE — A 42-year-old Milwaukee man will serve 46 months to 30 years in prison for drug crimes in Menominee County.

Jymel S. Velazquez was sentenced Tuesday as a Habitual Fourth Offender for two counts of Delivery/Manufacture of Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine, and Ammunition Possession by Felon. Judge Christopher S. Ninomiya of the 41st Circuit Court handed down the sentence. Velazquez was found guilty after a jury trial in April. Menominee County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey T. Rogg handled the prosecution.

According to publicly-filed documents and information presented in open court, the case began on July 27, 2023, when a controlled buy of crack-cocaine was made at an address on Cedarview Drive in Wilson. An informant testified at trial that she purchased .42 grams of crack-cocaine for $100 from Velazquez there and then. A search warrant was then obtained and executed at the residence. Two bags of crack-cocaine and 14 rounds of ammunition and were located and seized, where Velazquez was found hiding. Velazquez, as a convicted felon, was prohibited from possessing ammunition.

“Deadly drugs like cocaine and the criminal activity tied to the drug trade are responsible for shattering families and devastating our communities in the Upper Peninsula,” Rogg said. “The vigorous prosecution of this drug dealer exemplifies my ongoing commitment to disrupt drug networks, reduce drug-induced violence, and build strong and safe communities. I want to thank the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team and all of my law enforcement partners for their exemplary work in this case and for joining forces to combat drug activity and violent crime in Menominee County.”

“The investigation revealed that Mr. Velazquez was a repeat and regular cocaine supplier in Menominee County,” Rogg continued. “Dangerous drugs continue to flow into our community at the expense of too many lives. This successful interdiction operation and prison sentence has ensured that this drug trafficker has been taken off our streets, ultimately making the community safer for everyone.”