RACINE COUNTY -- A Racine man who was bitten by a Racine County Sheriff's K-9 officer on May 4th as a search warrant was being executed at his home has pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him.
Thomas Brucker
25-year-old Thomas Brucker is facing the following charges:
Brucker was in court on May 11th for his preliminary hearing. He has pleaded not guilty.
His cash bond has been amended from $15,000 to $2,000.
Brucker will next be in court on June 17th for a pre-trial conference.
Stephanie Darge
31-year-old Stephanie Darge is charged with one count of maintaining a drug trafficking place as party to a crime.
Darge was in court Wednesday for a hearing. Her cash bond was amended from $7,500 to $2,500.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 18th.
According to the criminal complaint, officials with the Racine County Sheriff's Office's "Metro Drug Unit" were provided information by a confidential informant that an individual he knows as "TJ" was involved in street-level heroin sales.
On April 27th, a Metro Drug Unit agent conducted a controlled buy from TJ.
The audio/video recording from that controlled buy was viewed by officials, and "TJ" was identified as Brucker.
Officials learned that there had been numerous anonymous reports of drug dealing originating from the home where Brucker lived.
On the morning of Wednesday, May 4th, a search warrant was executed at the home on Wisconsin Avenue near 10th Street. Entry had to be made into the home, and the complaint indicates Brucker attempted to flee the home -- continuing to run after officers gave him commands to stop. He was caught by K-9 "Friday" and continued to resist officers' attempts to take him into custody.
The complaint indicates a baggie was recovered, containing 4.8 grams of heroin, that had apparently been dropped by Brucker as he was running away.
A search of the home revealed numerous packaging materials, cutting agents, drug paraphernalia and suboxone.
The complaint indicates Darge told investigators she lived with Brucker in the home, and that they are "both addicts." Darge said Brucker sells heroin "to support their habits and pay the bills."
Brucker and Darge made their initial court appearances in this case on May 5th.