Marijuana vaping tips lead to drug house bust in Saukville

Officers investigating a report of THC vaping cartridges being sold from a Saukville home discovered 14 people, several of whom were teenagers, in the smoke-filled apartment described by one of them as a “party house” rife with marijuana.

The smell of marijuana coming from the apartment was so strong that officers detected it before entering, and when they asked one of the people there if there were drugs in the home, he said “there was weed, and it was everywhere,” according to a criminal complaint filed in Ozaukee County Circuit Court last week.

That complaint charges 18-year-old Evan M. Brecke, who rents the apartment in the 100 block of Tower Lane, and his roommate, 20-year-old Anthony M. Gregory, with felony counts of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and maintaining a drug trafficking place as parties to the crimes. 

They also face misdemeanor counts of possessing marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Gregory, who is known as Tony, told officers that he buys vaping cartridges containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in Milwaukee, then resells them for $30 each, the complaint states. He said he had about $200 in his room from the sale of the cartridges.

Among the evidence that led authorities to the Tower Drive apartment was a Snapchat post from “Big Homie Tony” showing marijuana cartridges and money. Gregory admitted to officers he had posted that, according to the complaint.

When questioned further, Gregory said he sells marijuana vaping cartridges to a group of about 10 people and has never had any complaints from his customers, the complaint states.

The charges against Gregory and Brecke, who said he was not involved in the sale of the cartridges, come amid an outbreak of lung injuries associated with electronic cigarette use, or vaping, that health officials say may be linked in particular to the use of THC vaping cartridges.

On Friday, Oct. 4, a 17-year-old from New York became the 19th person in the country to die from vaping-related lung illnesses.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,080 cases of lung injury associated with vaping have been reported to the agency as of Oct. 1.

Most of those patients reported a history of using vaping products that contain THC, suggesting that these products play a role in the outbreak, according to the CDC.

And the vast majority of patients are relatively young. Eighty percent are younger than 35, while 16% are younger than 18 and 21% are between 18 and 20 years old.

Ozaukee County Undersheriff Christy Knowles said the sale of THC vaping products is a growing problem locally.

“We’ve had numerous cases over the past year involving the sale of THC vaping cartridges,” she said. “These cases have definitely been increasing, especially among teenagers and young adults.”

In the Saukville case, the investigation began after authorities received numerous tips between mid-August and the end of September that THC cartridges were being sold from the house.

Brecke told investigators that he rented the apartment and allowed Gregory to move in with him. Brecke said Gregory had been selling THC vaping cartridges for two to three months and sold about one or two of them a day, according to the complaint.

Gregory, who admitted selling THC cartridges but said he only uses marijuana wax, told officers that just before they arrived at the apartment, which he called a “party house,” most of the people there were smoking a blunt, or marijuana cigar, the complaint states.

In the living room, authorities found a vape pen that smelled of THC, a bag and container of marijuana, a scale and rolling papers.

In Gregory’s room, they found two bongs, $250 in cash, a full box of THC vaping cartridges as well as four empty ones, a vape pen that smelled like marijuana and marijuana wax, according to the complaint. Ozaukee County Circuit Court Judge Steve Cain set Gregory’s bail at a $5,000 signature bond.

Brecke is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on Oct. 23.

Each of the felonies Brecke and Gregory are charged with are punishable by a maximum 1-1/2 years in prison and two years of extended supervision.