2024 Waukesha drug investigation, man sentenced to prison

article

Earl Cross

WAUKESHA, Wis. - A Waukesha man, convicted in connection with a 2024 drug investigation, has been sentenced to five years in prison.

In Court:

Court records show 40-year-old Earl Cross was convicted of possession with intent to deliver cocaine as part of a plea deal in March. In addition to prison time, he was sentenced to seven years of extended supervision.

The backstory:

The investigation began in January 2024. Waukesha police sifted through the garbage at a home near Moreland Boulevard and Jennifer Lane for weeks after receiving a tip that a resident, Cross, was "engaging in criminal activity."

FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android

Investigators said they found plastic bags containing a green leafy substance which later tested positive for THC. Police said the bags had a logo on them with the cartoon character "Homer Simpson." They say they also found a bag of cocaine and THC gummy packages in the trash. 

In February 2024, a Waukesha tactical unit served a search warrant at the home. Police said they found "100 or more" Homer Simpson bags filled with marijuana. They also found other drugs, ammunition and tools to weigh and package drugs – all kept in a child's bedroom within a child's reach. There were hallucinogenic mushrooms growing in the basement.

Featured

article

Waukesha school bus catalytic converter thefts; transportation disrupted

Waukesha police are investigating the theft of approximately 20 catalytic converters from a local school bus company, which occurred overnight.

Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies spotted Cross driving on the morning after the search. Deputies chased him through a parking structure at Potawatomi Casino Hotel. The chase lasted nearly four more miles before Cross crashed into a convenience store at 27th and Burleigh. 

It's unclear whether Cross was ever charged in connection to the chase and crash, according to court records.