Shawano County authorities Wednesday closed the books on an investigation that led to a futile search for drug activity at a county supervisor’s home last week.
Shawano County authorities executed a search warrant at County Supervisor Deb Noffke’s home April 15, but came away empty-handed, according to documents filed in the Clerk of Court’s office.
Detectives started an investigation after receiving “anonymous information” in February that Noffke and her daughter were growing and smoking marijuana at the Shawano residence and at Noffke’s business, Radio Shack, 221 E. Green Bay St., in Shawano, according to information in the search warrant.
Nothing was located during the execution of the search warrant at Noffke’s residence on West Division Street.
Sheriff Randy Wright said statements taken during further investigation were inconclusive.
“We’re closing it out until we receive any further information to substantiate it or start something new,” he said.
Wright said he did not feel Noffke was owed any apology.
“We followed the protocol. We followed procedures. We had probable cause,” he said.
Based on the anonymous tip, detectives started monitoring Noffke’s residence and Radio Shack in mid-February for any trash being put curbside.
Authorities collected two trash bags left outside the residence on April 4 and took them to the Sheriff’s Department to be searched.
The report alleges that brown and green plant material was found, including what appeared to be a small leaf from a marijuana plant. There was also a large amount of dirt and soil in the bag, according to the report.
The report alleges that both the plant material and soil tested positive for marijuana. Results of a field test filed with the search warrant claim marijuana residue was found.
Wright said a Langlade County assistant district attorney and Langlade County judge reviewed the results and found probable cause for a search warrant. He said the Shawano County district attorney’s office was bypassed because of concerns over the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Wright said the anonymous tip was sufficient to go ahead with the garbage collection.
“It would be a reason for going out and looking,” he said. “In this day and age we try doing aggressive work on drugs. And the anonymous information led to a positive (test for marijuana residue).”
Wright said the department has since been trying to determine who was responsible for the anonymous tip.
“We’ve been attempting to locate the person,” he said. “So far we haven’t come up with the anonymous person.”
Noffke said an anonymous tip shouldn’t be enough to warrant what happened to her and said the same thing could happen to anyone.
“Maybe (Wright) better go and read the Constitution he’s always spouting,” she said.
Noffke has previously said she has no explanation for why there would be a positive test for marijuana residue in her garbage.
Likewise, Wright said, he had no explanation for why a positive test result should end with nothing being found at the residence.
“That’s a good question. I don’t know,” he said. “That’s why we made sure the detective, the people that were working on this followed up with whoever they could to try to find out. It’s a very good question. I wish I could answer that.”
Categories
