Morgano convicted in first red fentanyl case in northeast Wisconsin

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (WBAY) – A driver who was stopped last year with a new variant of fentanyl was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday.

John Morgano, 59, pleaded no contest to two of the four counts against him – possession of 10 to 50 grams of fentanyl with intent to resell and operating a drug trafficking place. As part of a plea agreement, the state removed the repeat offender count, which could have added years to the sentence.

As we reported, officers found 12 grams of red fentanyl, crack, a crack pipe and a scale in Morgano's car after a sniffer dog stopped Morgano. The sniffer dog raised the alarm while sniffing outside.

The sheriff's office said it found a total of 12 grams of red fentanyl in Morgano's car and home. Depending on the purity of the drug, that amount could be used to produce 6,000 lethal doses.

“Basically, this is the same fentanyl that we've seen in our area. It's been dyed red and it's the exact same fentanyl that we've seen on the street. It's just another marketing ploy by our drug dealers,” Sheriff Captain William Tadych explained at the time.

Morgano was on parole at the time after serving a prison sentence for possession of cocaine with the intent to traffic.

According to online court records, he was sentenced to three years probation on both counts in addition to three years in prison.

He will not be sentenced to prison for drug trafficking as long as he complies with the terms of his probation, which include remaining completely sober, staying out of bars and taverns, maintaining full-time employment, refraining from using or possessing controlled substances without a prescription, and refraining from using or possessing needles or syringes.

Morgano declined to testify at his sentencing.

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