Daggett man sentenced to prison after receiving drug-stuffed teddy bear through mail

MENOMINEE COUNTY, Mich. (WLUC) - A 34-year-old Daggett man has been sentenced to prison for possession of methamphetamine and other drugs he received through the mail.

William “Billy” Strauss was sentenced to serve a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 15 years in prison Tuesday, Menominee County Prosecutor Jeffrey Rogg shared in a Thursday press release.

Charges against Strauss were filed in Menominee County District Court in June 2022, after UPSET detectives learned that Strauss was receiving fentanyl pills and methamphetamine through the U.S. Mail at his residence in Daggett. According to the prosecutor’s office, the U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office (USPIO) in Green Bay intercepted a package on June 13, 2022.

The USPIO obtained a federal warrant to open the package. Inside, was a red teddy bear containing three grams of crystal methamphetamine and 10 blue oxycodone pills.

Investigators allowed the package to be delivered and obtained a second search warrant for Strauss’s home. There, they found the package had been opened and left on the kitchen counter. Detectives found Strauss hiding in his basement. He admitted to receiving previous packages in the mail from Arizona, saying those packages usually contained Percocet pills and meth.

Strauss was charged with 1 count of controlled substance- possession/manufacturing, to which he pled guilty, and one count of controlled substance-delivery/manufacture (schedule 1, 2, and 3), which was dismissed via nolle prosequi.

“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has a Task Force Officer program, which embeds local police officers with postal inspectors to enhance investigations by providing access to local law enforcement networks,” Rogg said. “Postal inspectors across the country work to protect public by leading the effort to eliminate drugs and contraband in the U.S. Mail. This goal was achieved here by prohibiting Mr. Strauss’ illegal drugs in his mail from reaching the streets of Menominee.”

Rogg said he is proud of the work done by UPSET, in conjunction with the U.S. Postal Service.

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