Fond Du Lac Co judge sentenced Carla Endeward to 27 year bifurcated prison term over Fentanyl drug death

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Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric J. Toney who serves as President of the Wisconsin District Attorney’s Association announced Monday that Carla Endeward was sentenced for her role in the fentanyl drug death of her husband and three other fentanyl overdoses that didn’t result in death.

The defendant was convicted or the reckless homicide and 8 additional felonies after a five-day jury trial on June 23, 2023. Judge Douglas Edelstein sentenced to the defendant to 11 ½ years of initial confinement and 16 years of extended supervision totaling a 27 ½ year bifurcated prison term. The State recommended a sentence of 17 years of initial confinement and 17 years of extended supervision.

District Attorney Toney said, “Fentanyl is a scourge on our society that is destroying lives and forcing parents to bury their children. This is another life lost that nearly resulted in a second death. Our criminal justice system must act to hold those accountable that peddle poison in our communities and deter others from allowing drugs to flow freely in our communities. The Ripon Police Department was dedicated in their investigation to find justice for the victims and accountability to the defendant. I hope this sentence helps others find treatment and deters others from going down the path of addiction.”

As previously reported by The Wisconsin Law Journal, Endeward was convicted of First Degree Reckless Homicide as a Party to a Crime, four counts of Maintaining a Drug Trafficking Place, three counts of First Degree Recklessly Endangering Safety, and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud.

According to a copy of the criminal complaint obtained by the Wisconsin Law Journal, the defendant is a repeater, having been convicted of a felony in the previous 5 years.

Also as previously reported by the Wisconsin Law Journal, Wisconsin is no stranger to the opioid epidemic.  U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent John McGarry, who is the special agent in-charge of the DEA Wisconsin’s largest office said last year’s drug takeback yielded 113,000 pounds of pharmaceuticals just in Wisconsin alone.

The case was investigated by the City of Ripon Police Department with the assistance from the City of Fond du Lac Police Department, and MOCIC. The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Eric Toney with assistance from ADA Tessa Button and Attorney John Adams.

The defendant was convicted of the following counts: 1: First Degree Reckless Homicide

2, 4, 6, and 8:Maintaining a Drug Trafficking; 3: Obtain Prescription Drug by Fraud

5, 7 and 9: First Degree Reckless Endangering Safety