Former Grand Chute store owner sentenced to 12.5 years for trafficking fentanyl

The man who owned a now-closed Grand Chute furniture store will serve time in federal prison after he was caught selling drugs at his store.

In a news release, the U.S. Department of Justice — Eastern District of Wisconsin said a judge sentenced 32-year-old Christopher Turner to 12 and 1/2 years behind bars and eight years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to several charges. They include possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, possessing guns in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possessing guns as a previously convicted felon.

Turner was arrested right outside of his furniture store in Grand Chute on Dec. 14, 2023.

According to the criminal complaint, an informant told police that Turner was a "major supplier" of the drug in the area and that most of his dealing was at the store and at his apartment in Kaukauna.

The complaint states that in October authorities conducted an undercover drug buy by giving the informant money to buy drugs from Turner.

Authorities say they also recorded phone calls and on Dec. 14, police tracked down his car and arrested him outside of his store.

According to the release, agents did search warrants at homes linked to Turner in Kaukauna and Menasha. Authorities found more than 18 grams of cocaine, 264 grams of illegal fentanyl, and two 9-mm pistols. The DOJ says under federal law, Turner is banned from owning guns and ammunition because he was previously convicted of two robberies by force in Outagamie and Winnebago counties.

The case was investigated by the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group [MEG] Drug Unit, the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.