Milwaukee, WI – Joathan Colula, 33, was sentenced to 228 months in federal prison on February 10, 2026, for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracy that spanned multiple Midwestern states, U.S. Attorney Brad D. Schimel announced.
Colula was found guilty on both counts – conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering – following a nine-day trial that concluded in July 2025. He will also serve a 60-month supervised release period after completing his prison sentence.
Court documents detail Colula’s position as a key supplier within a drug trafficking organization with established distribution networks in Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the greater Chicago area, and Northern Indiana. The organization distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine, thousands of fentanyl pills, and pounds of methamphetamine. To conceal the illicit proceeds, Colula laundered funds through various business bank accounts and coordinated the transfer of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash from the Midwest to California.
The investigation culminated in a coordinated multi-state operation on November 29, 2022, resulting in the arrest of fifteen individuals and the execution of search warrants in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, and California. Authorities seized over 10 kilograms of fentanyl, approximately 7.5 kilograms of cocaine, more than a kilogram of methamphetamine, nearly 2 kilograms of heroin, ecstasy, oxycodone, approximately 170 pounds of marijuana, marijuana edibles, over $450,000 in cash, and 19 firearms.
Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper, in delivering the sentence, emphasized the scale and complexity of the operation, noting Colula’s integral role and his long-standing involvement within the organization. “This was a large-scale, multi-state, multi-drug operation in which Colula played an integral role,” Judge Pepper stated.
The sentencing follows a similar conviction in July 2025 of Michael Williams, 44, who operated the organization’s primary drug stash location in Minneapolis. Williams was sentenced to 240 months in prison for his involvement in the conspiracy, where he and others mixed, tested, and packaged controlled substances, including kilogram quantities of fentanyl.
“Virtually everyone knows someone whose life has been utterly destroyed by the extraordinarily dangerous drugs that have inundated our communities of every shape and size,” said U.S. Attorney Schimel. “Modern day drug traffickers have dramatically changed the very nature of our world with the violence, crime and death that follows in their wake. The judge sent the clear message that our community has had enough of the suffering wrought by these criminals.”
Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman lauded the collaborative effort, stating, “The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) is proud of the role our officers played in this case and grateful for the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in this investigation. Drug traffickers bring great harm to our community and must be held accountable.” He added, “MPD values our collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement partners in criminal cases like this to build a safer city for everyone to live, work and play.”
Todd Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Chicago Field Division, echoed the sentiment, stating, “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the harm caused by large-scale drug trafficking operations and the meaningful accountability that follows.” He further noted the importance of interagency cooperation, stating, “Through close coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we dismantled a multi-state organization responsible for distributing dangerous drugs throughout the Midwest.”
The investigation involved agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Milwaukee Police Department, West Allis Police Department, South Milwaukee Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. The Internal Revenue Service and the Apple Valley Police Department also contributed to the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Elizabeth Monfils and Erica Lounsberry prosecuted the case, with support from the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
