Burglary probe leads to heroin arrest

Authorities investigating a town of Wescott burglary arrested a rural Shawano man Tuesday on charges of allegedly dealing heroin and drug trafficking. Daniel A. Schilcher, 27, allegedly fled from Shawano County sheriff’s deputies when they attempted to take him into custody for possession of and selling stolen property, according to the criminal complaint. Schilcher tried to evade deputies by crawling under the mobile home where he was living, the complaint states. After getting permission from the homeowner to search under the house for Schilcher, deputies found a plastic bag with hypodermic needles, drug paraphernalia and medication used for heroin overdoses, according to the complaint. Schilcher eventually crawled out from under the house and ran to a garage, where he was taken into custody. Deputies then made a search of the house and found additional drug-related items, including marijuana, pipes and heroin paraphernalia, according to the complaint. The complaint also states that Schilcher was already the target of an ongoing drug investigation. On two occasions in June, according to the complaint, a confidential informant working with sheriff’s detectives, Shawano police and the state Division of Criminal Investigations purchased a total of $310 worth of heroin from Schilcher. A woman interviewed by deputies after Schilcher’s arrest Tuesday said she had also purchased heroin from Schilcher, according to the complaint. Schilcher is charged with three felony counts of manufacture and delivery of heroin, each of which carries a maximum possible penalty of 12½ years in prison and a $25,000 fine. He is also charged with one felony count of maintaining a drug trafficking place, which carries a maximum 3½ years and a $10,000 fine. Schilcher is also facing misdemeanor counts of receiving stolen property, resisting and obstructing an officer, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Schilcher was ordered held Wednesday on a $3,500 bond and is scheduled for an adjourned initial court appearance on Monday.