Formal charges filed against Twin Lakes police captain accused of removing drugs from the department
Dennis Linn
KENOSHA COUNTY -- Formal charges were filed Tuesday, Feb. 26 against Twin Lakes Police Captain Dennis Linn after an investigation was launched into prescription medication removed from the department.
Dennis Linn, 47, of Genoa City, faces three felonies and a misdemeanor -- three counts of possession of narcotic drugs, as party to a crime and one count of theft of movable property, less than $2,500, as party to a crime.
His wife, Cheryl Linn, 49, was charged Friday, Feb. 22 with two felonies and a misdemeanor -- one count of possession of narcotic drugs, as party to a crime, possession of THC and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Dennis Linn is set to make his initial appearance in court on March 7.
Cheryl Linn
Cheryl Linn was in court Feb. 15 for a bail/bond hearing. A $10,000 signature bond was set. She was in court for her initial appearance Feb. 22 -- which was adjourned as she sought private counsel.
Prosecutors said Cheryl Linn was pulled over in Lake Geneva, and handed deputies a metal pill bottle with eight hydrocodone pills. She told deputies it was prescribed, but she didn't have the prescription bottles with her. Among the items deputies found was a plastic bag with marijuana inside.
Dennis Linn, the second in command at the Twin Lakes Police Department, was placed on administrative leave as an investigation was launched on Feb. 18 by Twin Lakes police and the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation.
According to a search warrant affidavit, comments Dennis Linn made to a fellow detective in the evidence room raised "red flags." Captain Linn told the fellow detective his wife was in "a lot of pain" and was recently cut off from her prescriptions by her doctor. This, as Linn and the detective processed medication collected through the "Drug Take Back Program." The affidavit said the detective was about to leave to get supplies when Linn said "I wouldn't leave me down here. I don't want to be suspected of anything, especially after I just told you about my wife."
The detective stayed in the room and soon alerted the police chief when she noticed a bottle of oxycodone hidden inside a small garbage can.
According to the affidavit, a body camera was placed in the evidence room, which recorded Linn picking out an item from the garbage can at the end of his shift. The camera picked up sounds of "pills rattling."A search warrant executed at Linn's home revealed three empty Walgreens prescription bottles, one for oxycodone and two for hydrocodone. The names on the bottles did not match Linn's name or that of his spouse.Marijuana concentrates and six twisted tissues with black material were taken -- found in garbage cans at his home, according to the affidavit.
Dennis Linn has been a full-time member of the Twin Lakes Police Department since 2002.