Pubdate: Sat, 14 Apr 2007 Source: Portage Daily Register (WI) Copyright: 2007 Portage Daily Register Contact: http://www.wiscnews.com/speakup/form.php?pub=pdr Website: http://www.wiscnews.com/pdr/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3779 Author: Todd Krysiak DELLS MAN SENTENCED FOR DRUG CONVICTION A Wisconsin Dells man was sentenced Friday to serve 60 days in jail and four years of probation Friday for delivering marijuana to an undercover Wisconsin Dells police officer last year. Nathan Beal, 31, was arrested July 12 and charged with delivery of marijuana, maintaining a drug trafficking place and delivery of drug paraphernalia. He pleaded no contest to the delivery charge Friday. As part of the plea agreement, the other charges were dismissed. He also was ordered to pay $539 in fines. The sting was part of a series of undercover operations conducted by Wisconsin Dells Police Officer Wayne Thomas, a 2005 graduate of Pardeeville High School. One month after Beal's arrest, Thomas' undercover investigations led to the arrest of 14 adults and eight juveniles for drug-related crimes. Thomas first went undercover in May 2006 and spent time hanging around Bowman Park, where he met many of the individuals from whom he would later purchase drugs. "I pretty much just had to go infiltrate their groups and see what I could get into, I guess," he told the Dells Events in September 2006. "Anything illegal that I could get into I was trying to get myself into with them." He observed burglaries, and the exchange of various drugs such as marijuana, different forms of cocaine, ecstasy and heroin. He attended underage drinking parties and became privy to incidents of vandalism, he said. Thomas has remained with the department as a patrol officer. According to the criminal complaint in Beal's case, Thomas purchased $70 worth of marijuana - about 18 grams - from Beal at his Broadway Street apartment. Beal must report to the Dane County Jail - where he asked to be detained so that he could still go to work through the Huber program - on June 8. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek