It was called by some the largest marijuana seizure in the history of Dodge County. A Portland, Oregon woman found with 40 pounds of marijuana under the bed of an RV in December was sentenced yesterday. Dodge County District Attorney Kurt Klomberg asked Judge Andrew Bissonnette to send Elizabeth Lapple to prison for three years followed by four years of extended supervision and the maximum fine: $50,000. Klomberg says the 31-year-old Portland, Oregon woman was a member of a criminal drug dealing organization and the fine would send a message that Dodge County will take drug profits away and destroy your business. Defense Attorney David Mandell asked for six months conditional jail time and four years’ probation. He painted Lapple as an unwitting “mule” with a relatively clean record who made a poor choice; a high school valedictorian trying to make it as an artist and raise money to start a business after being disowned by a wealthy California family. Mandell pointed out that 40 pounds may sound like a lot in Dodge County but larger cities barely prescribe jail time for a non-violent crime involving the leafy vegetable substance. Lapple herself said she made a terrible mistake, noting that she lives in community where marijuana is legal and is considered “healing” and said she was ignorant of the harmful effects perceived throughout the country. She said she was flown to Wisconsin from the west coast, was present as the group bought the RV in Slinger and never knew how much was in the RV when
she was pulled over on December 26 heading east on Highway 33, looking for the Wisconsin Dells. She was supposed to be paid $15,000 but never received payment. In handing down the sentence, Judge Bissonnette said he was sensitive to the need to have uniformity in sentencing from state to state but he said it is just as important to send a message that illegal marijuana trafficking is not condoned in Dodge County. The sentence: two years in prison, four years on extended supervision and fines and court costs totaling nearly $28,000.
