By Joe Bachman

A 39-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman face charges of drug trafficking, burglary, theft, as well as a slew of others after police found drugs and stolen merchandise in their residence.

Michael Stoflet Jr., of Wisconsin Rapids, and Holly Chialda, of Wisconsin Rapids, are both charged with maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, three counts of theft of property over $5,000, and a combined five counts of burglary.

According to police reports, on May 26, an officer was called to the 800 block of Highway 73 South in Saratoga regarding missing locks from 13 storage containers on the site. Multiple owners were notified and came forward with reports of missing items from their storage units in this facility.

Reported missing was stereo equipment, a projector, audio electronics, a hunting bow plus arrows, a fishing boat, and other various equipment from the storage units. Video surveillance would lead police to identify the suspects in the burglaries as Michael Stoflet Jr. and Holly Chialda.

On Jun. 1, a search warrant was executed on the 5900 block of Wazeecha Ave. in Grand Rapids regarding a possible methamphetamine manufacturing operation. Police searched the residence identified as the residence of Chialda and Stoflet Jr., and found a large number of stolen property around the house and inside. Several garbage pickups would reveal four padlocks with the hasps out, as well as the discovery of bolt cutters in the back of Stoflet’s vehicle.

Also discovered in the bedroom of Chialda and Stoflet were various drugs and paraphernalia items — these include two pill crushers, a plastic syringe, a glass tube with white residue, baggies containing a white crystalline substance, a tin container containing a brown powder and a metal scraper.

Further investigation of a nearby camper uncovered more drug paraphernalia, including a glass pipe with tan and white residue, as well as a digital scale, and a baggie containing a crystalline substance. Tests would later confirm the substances found throughout the property to be methamphetamine and cocaine.

In an interview with Stoflet Jr., he allegedly admitted that he was involved in multiple thefts from storage units and that he was addicted to methamphetamine.

If convicted, Stoflet Jr. faces up to three years and six months imprisonment plus $10,000 in fines for each count of drug trafficking, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of burglarious tools. He also faces seven years imprisonment for two counts of theft of movable property, and a combined 37 years imprisonment and $75,000 in fines for three counts of burglary.

Chialda faces a combined seven years for charges of drug trafficking and possession of methamphetamine, as well as $20,000 in fines. She also faces two counts of burglary which carry a combined possible sentence of 25 years imprisonment and up to $50,000 in fines, as well as two counts of theft of movable property for a combined 10 years of possible imprisonment.

Both have a pre-trial conference scheduled for Jul. 8.