Classy Benz Owners

[MTI]

Hood County, TX December 15, 2004

While attempting to steal from Walgreens Tuesday night, a woman was in such a hurry to leave that she ran out of her shoes. Walgreens employees told Granbury police that the woman, described as white and in her 50s, filled a shopping cart with various Christmas-related items such as wrapping paper, gift bags, Scotch tape and ribbons. Then the woman attempted to leave the store and was asked for a receipt. She claimed another person had it and darted for the door. Store employees said the woman ran out of her black sandals and fled in a Mercedes

December 15, 2004, Waukesha, WI
A City of Pewaukee man will spend over seven consecutive years in prison on two separate convictions for dealing drugs out of his parents' home.
Christopher Vnuk, 25, was sentenced Monday to four years in prison. Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge James Kieffer, who sentenced Vnuk, said he was a man who needed "to be put away."

Along with the prison term, Kieffer also ordered Vnuk to 3-1/2 years of extended supervision following his prison term and fined him $2,500.

In May, Vnuk was sentenced to 3-1/2 years in prison followed by three years of extended supervision by a Milwaukee County judge.

Between prison and supervision, he will be under state watch for 14 years.

"You are somewhat of a spoiled brat," Kieffer told Vnuk. "You had a life of leisure and did not want to work. You were taken into the life of drugs."

Vnuk pleaded no contest in August to a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.

According to the criminal complaint, City of Milwaukee police were conducting a narcotics investigation March 25, 2003, in an apartment on North 14th Street when Vnuk came to the door.

When police identified themselves, Vnuk tried to reach into his coat pocket, the complaint said.

Police searched Vnuk and found 669 grams of marijuana divided into three large bags. Each large bag contained eight smaller bags, the complaint said. He also had three cell phones and $380 in his possession.

The following day, police went to Vnuk's residence on Sawgrass Lane where they detected a strong odor of fresh marijuana, the complaint said.

Vnuk's parents granted permission for police to search the residence of illegal drugs.

Police found in the basement, where Vnuk lived, a total of 92 bags of marijuana, the complaint said.

In one closet was a box with 75 bags of marijuana, each containing about one ounce of the illegal drug, the complaint said.

In addition, police recovered a nylon backpack that contained nine bags.

All of the bags contained about one ounce of the substance, the complaint said.

A closet in a bathroom was found with 12 Mason jars, each containing marijuana, scales and various-sized bags.

The total amount of marijuana recovered was 8,840 grams, the complaint said.

A search of Vnuk's bedroom revealed $3,090.

Police returned March 28, 2003, and searched the residence again. Authorities found $14,000 hidden on the floor underneath the corner of a headboard for a bed, the complaint said.

They also found bank records showing he owned a 2003 Mercedes-Benz outright and a receipt for $28,319 for a Rolex watch. The receipt indicated Vnuk put $10,000 down toward the purchase of the watch.

Vnuk had also owned two classic muscle cars, a 2001 Mazda Protege, and one month before his arrest Vnuk and his father returned to the Mercedes dealership and ordered a $90,000 2004 Mercedes.

Vnuk was employed part time as a delivery/parts driver and was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the complaint said.

"This is one of the largest amounts I have seen on my years on the Waukesha County bench," Kieffer said at Monday's hearing.

Vnuk's attorney, Michael Steinhafel, said Vnuk's parents were not aware of what their son was doing.

"He takes full responsibility for his actions," Steinhafel said.

As for the large amount of marijuana found in the residence, Steinhafel said "He really didn't know what he was going to do with it."

"This is a person likely not to reoffend," Steinhafel said. "He has learned his lesson."

In an unemotional statement, Vnuk apologized to the community, the court and his parents.

"This was the biggest mistake of my life. I make no excuses for my crime. I understand I must be punished and I will use this experience to make my life better," he said.

Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Brad Schimel claimed Vnuk was "making a great deal of money for dealing drugs."

The large amount of marijuana found in the residence had a street value "well over $300,000," he said.

"We don't have a lot of drug dealers that live in this kind of style," Schimel said.