Three individuals are facing criminal charges in Burnett County Circuit Court after a recent drug bust by Siren Police Department.
Criminal charges were filed in July 2018 against Dwight Kraemer, of Webster, WI; Kimberly Benjamin, of Shell Lake, WI; and John Blount, of Danbury, WI; following a drug investigation by the Siren Police Department with assistance from the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
Dwight Kraemer, of Webster, WI
Kimberly Benjamin of Shell Lake, WI
John Blount, of Danbury, WI
A criminal complaint filed in Burnett County Circuit Court states that throughout February 2018 several controlled buys of prescription medication were conducted by an officer of the Siren Police Department. A confidential informant worked with the Siren Police Department to complete these controlled buys.
According to the criminal complaint, the confidential informant completed these controlled buys of hydrocodone and/or oxycodone from Dwight Kraemer. Law enforcement maintained surveillance of all the controlled buys.
On June 14, 2018, a search warrant was conducted at the residence of Dwight Kraemer. John Blount and Kimberly Benjamin were also located at the residence at the time of the search warrant.
The criminal complaint states that during the search warrant, investigating officers located numerous other prescription pills, some packaged in separate baggies. Officers also located methamphetamine inside Benjamin’s purse. In addition, officers found multiple items of drug paraphernalia, including pipes which tested positive for marijuana as well as multiple straws containing white residue. Inside Blount’s vehicle, another straw was located which contained white residue.
When officers made contact with Blount and Kraemer in the living room area of the residence, they located a glass plate with a line of white powder on it, and a cut straw nearby. Officers also observed that Kraemer had white fluid coming out of his nose, indicating that he had just snorted a white substance through his nostrils.
Officers also found five firearms, including a pistol and 2 long rifles, along with multiple boxes of ammunition.
Benjamin was placed under arrest and transported to the Burnett County Jail, where jail officers located oxycontin pills on her person. The criminal complaint states that although Benjamin told the jail staff that she had a prescription for that medication, none was found at the residence.
Dwight Kraemer is charged with four counts of Class E Felony Delivery of Schedule I or II Narcotics (Hydrocodone), 1 count of Class E Felony Delivery of Schedule I or II Narcotics (Oxycodone), and 1 count of Class I Felony Maintaining a Drug Trafficking Place. If convicted as charged, Kraemer faces a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment on each charge of delivery of narcotics as well as a potential penalty of imprisonment for 3 years and 6 months for the charge of maintaining a drug trafficking place.
Online circuit court records show that at a hearing on June 15, 2018, the Court placed Kraemer on a $500 cash bail bond with $10,000 signature bail bond with a condition that he maintain absolute sobriety. Kraemer made an initial appearance on his charges on July 11, 2018, and the Court ordered that he comply with random testing for drugs.
Kimberly Benjamin is charged with Class I Felony Possession of Narcotic Drugs, and Class I Felony Possession of Methamphetamine. According to online circuit court records, at a hearing held on July 11, 2018, the Court placed Benjamin on a $500 cash bail bond with $10,000 signature bond. The Court also ordered Benjamin to maintain absolute sobriety and to comply with random drug testing.
John Blount is charged with Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Online circuit court records show that he is scheduled for an initial appearance in August 2018 on his charges.
Pursuant to the direction of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicly, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Last Update: Jul 12, 2018 1:51 pm CDT
