FDL drug arrest is a teachable moment | WTAQ News Talk | 97.5 FM · 1360 AM

FOND DU LAC COUNTY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – An 18-year-old Madison man is in the Fond du Lac County Jail awaiting arraignment after being caught during a traffic stop in Fond du Lac on Monday.

During the stop, authorities discovered a box of drug-containing snacks in the car – all items that are illegal in Wisconsin.

The stop occurred in the area of ​​Military Road and Rolling Meadows Drive. According to the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office, an officer stopped the vehicle, which was traveling on I-41, for an equipment violation.

The officer then called for backup in the form of a police dog after the people in the car began to behave suspiciously, according to the officer.

“The sniffer dog was sniffing outside around the car and sounded the alarm – and apparently it was something like a short alarm – meaning the dog was running around the car and suddenly snapped his neck. He smelled, sounded the alarm and immediately sounded the alarm,” explained Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt.

A search of the vehicle revealed a box of pre-packaged snacks that had been shipped from Oregon to Wisconsin. All were packaged in brightly colored packaging similar to the harmless snacks families might have in their pantry at home, but they contained THC vaporizers and edibles, as well as psychoactive mushrooms.

Sheriff Waldschmidt said, “I know there are efforts to legalize some of these herbal drugs in one form or another, but the reality is that they are still illegal in Wisconsin.”

As many families prepare to send their children back to school, Waldschmidt posted on social media about the traffic stop and the items found in the vehicle.

Although the sheriff says marijuana and psychoactive mushrooms are not the target of his officers, as they are more concerned with getting things like fentanyl, cocaine and LSD off the streets, these products are still harmful.

“It's a good opportunity to educate parents and remind them that these things are out there and to educate their children about the dangers of consuming these products, whether it's THC or mushrooms or herbal drugs. Children and their development are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of these substances,” Waldschmidt said.

And the families pay attention to it.

“Why? I guess my question is, why? Why do we package it like that? Why does it look like that? Why does it look like it's marketed to children?” said Brooke Cryderman of Jackson, Wisconsin.

This discovery by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office is causing concern among families who also fear that drug-laced snacks and candy like this could end up in children's Halloween bags.

“My oldest is 12 and I mention it to him that we have to search through our candy before we even take a bite. They always want to take a bite first, like when we're out and about, and I talk to them about it,” added Katie Niemuth of Ripon.