The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

The official student newspaper of University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire since 1923.

The Spectator

Freshman faces felony drug charges

A UW-Eau Claire freshman is facing several felony drug-related charges after his arrest in his dorm room in Sutherland Hall on Tuesday evening.

Jonathan T. Feuling, 20, 359 Sutherland Hall, has been charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession with intent to deliver Ecstasy and possession of drug paraphernalia. University police and members of the West Central Drug Task Force arrested Feuling, who was taken to the Eau Claire County Jail. The student from Lake Mills was released Wednesday on a $500 bond and on the condition that he would not use any illegal substance.

According to the criminal complaint, police had received information from two individuals indicating that drug activity had been occurring in Feuling’s room. The individuals indicated that Feuling was in possession of a significant amount of Ecstasy and marijuana. On Tuesday, police made contact with Feuling at his room, where he admitted to possessing drug paraphernalia.

The complaint states that Feuling said he had a pipe and a bong in his room. Feuling was placed under arrest for possession of drug paraphernalia and a search of the room revealed a pipe containing marijuana residue, a bong, a plastic bag containing 21 grams of marijuana, 73 Ecstasy pills, about $1,100 and numerous other items such as drug notes, a scale and other paraphernalia.

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In an interview with The Spectator, Feuling said he is 100 percent innocent.

“I am innocent until proven guilty,” he said.

Feuling said he did not have prior knowledge that the items were in his room.

“None of it was mine, it was just in my room,” he said. Feuling also said he believed he will be found innocent at his trial.

If convicted, Feuling faces a maximum penalty of four and a half years imprisonment and/or a fine of $25,000 for possession with intent to deliver marijuana. For the count of possession with intent to deliver Ecstasy, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for five years and a fine of $1,500 and for possession of drug paraphernalia, the maximum penalty is imprisonment for 30 days or a fine of $500.

Feuling is scheduled to appear in court March 19. Eau Claire County Judge Eric Wahl has been assigned to the case.

Associate Dean of Students Bob Shaw declined to comment on Feuling’s case, but said when students are caught with drugs, the university’s standard procedure is to look at the evidence and make a determination whether university rules and regulations have been violated.

Because UW schools have their own student code of conduct, the university does not rely on court proceedings to make a determination of punishment, Shaw said.

A student caught with an amount of drugs that leads the university to believe he was dealing usually leads to separation from the university, he said.

This could mean a suspension from all UW schools for up to two years or expulsion from all UW schools with no chance for readmittance, Shaw said.

After the university makes its decision, the student then has the chance to appeal it, and the university holds a hearing to look at the evidence again.

Lt. David Sprick of the university police said it is probably not frequent, but also not uncommon for the West Central Drug Task Force to come onto campus to assist with a drug problem. Sprick said he remembered two or three felony drug arrests in the past few years.

Depending on the quality, supply and demand, 21 grams of marijuana has a street value between $180 and $900, Sprick said, and 73 tablets of Ecstacy has a street value between $1825 and $2190.

The ultimate danger with selling drugs on campus is death, he said. You don’t know what you’re getting with Ecstacy, because the quality is very uncontrolled, Sprick said. If the drug fell into the wrong hands, or was used with alcohol or abused, death is possible, he said.

Another danger is that where there are illegal drugs, there are other illegal drugs, Sprick said.

Then there are the dealers, and sometimes weapons and sometimes career criminals, he said.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy because of the dangers, risks, weapons associated with the whole drug culture,” Sprick said.

For the 1999 to 2000 year, there were 77 drug abuse violations or complaints on campus, according to campus police crime statistics.

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Freshman faces felony drug charges