DARLINGTON — A man charged with supplying heroin to three people who overdosed in a South Wayne home April 29 remains jailed after a judge ruled a $15,000 cash bond is “absolutely appropriate” in the case.
Samuel M. Krebs, 31, formerly of Monroe and more recently of Forest Junction, is charged in Lafayette County Circuit Court with three counts of delivering heroin as a second or subsequent offense, two counts of bail jumping and one count of maintaining a drug-trafficking place, all felonies. He’s also charged with one misdemeanor count of receiving or concealing stolen property.
At a hearing May 6, Krebs’ attorney asked for a reduction in bond. She also asked that Krebs be allowed to live at a residence in Waupaca while out on bond.
“He is presumed innocent and I don’t think the severity of the charges warrant setting a cash bail he can’t possibly post,” said Jane Bucher, his attorney.
Lafayette County District Attorney Jenna Gill argued against the bond modification, saying she didn’t think “residing with a girlfriend’s grandparents... sounds very promising.”
Gill pointed to the seriousness of the offense — the three people who overdosed were “only brought back with Narcan” — and to Krebs’ criminal history and history of failure to appear in court as reasons to keep the $15,000 cash bond.
Krebs has convictions in Wisconsin going back nearly a decade, including thefts and a burglary in the Monroe area in 2011 to support a heroin addiction. He has pending felony cases in Manitowoc County and Ozaukee County alleging retail theft, bail jumping, delivery of heroin and delivery of fentanyl.
Judge Duane Jorgenson said the high cash bond amount was necessary given Krebs’ prior record and that he faces over 100 years of incarceration.
“I think cash bail is absolutely appropriate because of the other missed court appearances,” Jorgenson said.
At a hearing May 22, Krebs waived his right to a preliminary hearing and the case was bound over for trial. He also requested a new judge. Dane County Circuit Court Judge Julie Genovese is now assigned to the case.
Several other people are now formally charged in connection to the April 29 overdoses in South Wayne.
William M. Osbaugh, 25, Brodhead, is charged with felony counts of delivering cocaine and maintaining a drug-trafficking place as a party to a crime and misdemeanor counts of possessing cocaine, THC and drug paraphernalia.
Osbaugh is also charged with violating a public health order, a misdemeanor. Wisconsin’s “Safer at Home” public health order to slow the spread of the new coronavirus was still in effect at the time. Among other rules, it ordered people to stay at home except for essential trips and not to gather in groups of 10 or more people from different households.
Owen Lee Nally, 35, Corey L. Seffrood, 39, and Shayna N. Krebs, 23, all of South Wayne, also face related drug charges as well as violations of the public health order. Donald E. Surrell, 57, and Betty R. Surrell, 53, both of South Wayne, are charged with misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to the criminal complaint, the charges stem from a drug investigation and search warrant on a residence at 501 S. Galena St. in South Wayne after Seffrood and the Surrells overdosed in a nearby residence on West Grove Street. They were found pulseless and not breathing but were revived and awake by the time ambulances got them to a hospital.
Several of the defendants were living together at the Galena Street address. Samuel Krebs had moved in two weeks earlier to “get clean,” his sister, Shayna, told police.
Seffrood told police he, the Surrells and Samuel Krebs did a “bump” of a substance Krebs sold and “the next thing (Seffrood) remembered he was waking up in his front yard.” The Surrells told police that prior to the overdose, they had never consumed heroin and did not know Krebs. They said they no longer want him in contact with them or living in the area.