Drug Charges From 1996 Dismissed – Kenosha County DA Graveley Set Prosecutor Up For Failure: Defense Attorney

Copied!
Jorge B. Trujillo, (56), Of Mexico In Court Today With Criminal Defense Attorney Michelle Gardner
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)

Two felony charges and one misdemeanor charge were dismissed today in court against 56-year-old Jorge B. Trujillo, of Mexico.

Paid Advertisement

Over 28 years ago, when Jorge B. Trujillo was 28-years-old, he allegedly sold cocaine to undercover law enforcement officers and a confidential informant in Kenosha County. For the controlled buys, a state agent and local police posed as drug users and met up with him on two occasions and Trujillo allegedly sold $150 worth of cocaine on April 30, 1996, and $300 worth on June 25, 1996. A warrant was issued and he was pulled over and arrested on December 17, 1996. He was allegedly in possession of a “small amount of cocaine” on this date.

Paid Advertisement

On December 18, 1996, he was charged with two counts of Felony Delivery Of Cocaine and one count of Possession Of Cocaine. He faced 21 years in the Wisconsin Prison System. This, however, was before truth-in-sentencing, so he would likely not have served that many years in prison.

Paid Advertisement

Trujillo was given a $10,000 cash bail, which he posted. He would never be seen in Kenosha County for the next 28 years. He fled to Mexico. On January 28, 1997, Court Commissioner Carl Greco issued a $100,000 warrant. Trujillo remained in Mexico, seemingly until this year, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement captured Trujillo in Texas. Law Enforcement asked DA Mike Graveley (D) if he wanted to spend the tens of thousands of dollars to extradite and prosecute Trujillo to Kenosha with no knowledge of the case. He agreed to do so. Trujillo was booked into the Kenosha County Jail on June 12, 2024. 

Paid Advertisement
Jorge B. Trujillo, (56), of Mexico
(Kenosha County Sheriff)

The evidence, including a photo used to identify Trujillo, and most of the drugs, has been destroyed in the last 28 years, making the case difficult or impossible for the successful prosecution of the case.

Paid Advertisement
Receipt Paid For By Kenosha County Taxpayers To Have Defendant Extradited

A member of the legal community told KCE that DA Graveley made a mistake by paying the large amount of money to prosecute this case as it likely isn’t winnable. “[Graveley] should have evaluated this case and checked on the evidence and witnesses before he extradited this man. That’s why the statute of limitations exist. After almost three decades, it’s almost impossible to win a case. Evidence gets destroyed, witnesses die or are unavailable.” Trujillo will likely be deported either way.

Paid Advertisement

Trujillo’s attorney had previously told the court that he just wants to go back to Mexico and be with his family. Graveley, instead, wants Trujillo in Wisconsin’s prisons.

Paid Advertisement

Author

Copied!
LATEST NEWS

Kenosha Man Charged in Fatal Crash That Left Two Families Shattered

KENOSHA, Wis. — The man accused of killing 46-year-old Amy Mosier in a high-speed drunk driving crash made his initial court appearance Thursday, as her grieving children made emotional pleas for justice—and a high bail. Peter K. Herrmann, 21, is charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle following the May 7 crash at Sheridan Road and 85th Street. Prosecutors say Herrmann plowed his Jeep Wrangler into

Read More »

Kenosha Man Recharged With Stalking, Defamation; DA Signals Renewed Focus on Criminal Defamation

KENOSHA, Wis. — A Mount Pleasant man is again facing serious charges in Kenosha County Circuit Court, accused of stalking, criminal defamation, and felony bail jumping in a re-filed case involving disturbing allegations of harassment. Dennis A. Thompson, 62, appeared in court Friday for an initial appearance in case number 2025CF597. The new charges stem from the same conduct alleged in a 2023 case — 2023CF1775 — that was dismissed after the complaining witness was not

Read More »
MORE TOP STORIES

Neighbors Fume as City Lets Burned-Out Home Rot for Months in West-Kenosha Subdivision

KENOSHA, Wis. – A wind-tattered, illegible notice flaps on the front fence of a burned-out property in the 9400 block of 69th Street—an enduring symbol of inaction by the City of Kenosha, where residents say their concerns are being ignored. It has been nearly four months since a devastating house fire reduced the home to a foul-smelling pile of debris. Since then, neighbors in the Whitecaps subdivision say they’ve been left to live next to a

Read More »

Woman Accused of Biting Off Victim’s Ear in Bar Fight Held on $75,000 Bail

KENOSHA, Wis. — A 28-year-old Kenosha woman is facing multiple serious criminal charges after allegedly attacking another woman outside a neighborhood bar, a violent confrontation that reportedly included the use of pepper spray and biting off part of the woman’s ear. Dariana J. Shellie made her initial appearance in Kenosha County Circuit Court on Wednesday. Court Commissioner William Michel II set her cash bail at $75,000. She is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary

Read More »

Man Charged With Recklessly Endangering Officer After High-Speed Drunken Pursuit

KENOSHA, Wis. — A 36-year-old Kenosha man is facing felony charges after allegedly leading police on a high-speed pursuit through Pleasant Prairie on Tuesday and nearly striking a police sergeant with his vehicle. Alan E. Mintern was formally charged Wednesday in Kenosha County Circuit Court with first-degree recklessly endangering safety and hit-and-run involving an attended vehicle. Court Commissioner William Michel II set Mintern’s cash bail at $15,000. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 14. According

Read More »

Paddock Lake Cuts Ties with Salem Lakes Fire Department, Citing Cost Disputes and Transparency Issues

KENOSHA COUNTY, Wis. — After more than six decades of relying on Salem Lakes for emergency fire and medical services, the Village of Paddock Lake has officially ended its contract with the Salem Lakes Fire and Rescue Department. The decision, finalized by a vote of the Paddock Lake Village Board, shifts fire and EMS coverage to the Village of Bristol beginning in 2026—delivering a significant financial blow to Salem Lakes and raising questions about fiscal management

Read More »

Opinion: DA Graveley’s Sweetheart Deals for Brittany Mika Undermine Justice – It’s Time for a Reckoning

KENOSHA, Wis. – Brittany R. Mika, 31, has a criminal history that reads like a courtroom merry-go-round—except there’s nothing amusing about the danger she poses or the disgraceful leniency she has received under the former Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley. With about two dozen criminal cases and citations to her name, Mika has racked up a staggering list of offenses: violent outbursts, hate speech, resisting arrest, property destruction, illegal firearms possession, and serial violations of

Read More »

Kenosha Man Accused of Attempting to Purchase Sex With Child Given $5,000 Bail

**Graphic Details** MILWAUKEE, Wis. – A 38-year-old Kenosha man is facing a felony charge in Milwaukee County after allegedly attempting to pay for sex acts with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Despite the disturbing and explicit nature of the allegations detailed in the criminal complaint, a Milwaukee County judge set his bail at just $5,000 cash. Paul A. Grasty, of the 7700 block of 39th Avenue in Kenosha, appeared Tuesday morning in

Read More »

Introducing Kenosha County Eye Plus

To My Loyal Readers, When I started Kenosha County Eye nearly five years ago, it was little more than a passion project—a way to share local stories that weren’t getting the attention they deserved. Back then, I was publishing articles here and there, with a strong focus on investigative journalism and transparency. I never could have imagined how far this journey would take me. Today, Kenosha County Eye has grown into one of the most-read news

Read More »

Kenosha Man Accused of Brutal Assault as Son Allegedly Watched, Cleaned Blood

KENOSHA, Wis. – A Kenosha man already facing charges in two pending criminal cases appeared in court again Monday after being arrested May 2 for allegedly inflicting severe injuries on a woman in a series of domestic assaults. Mike Saleh Haswah, 41—who legally changed his name from Mohammed Haswah to Mike Haswah in 2019—was given a $50,000 cash bail by Court Commissioner William Michel II. The commissioner also dismissed three of the charges filed against Haswah—counts

Read More »

KUSD Terminates Ryan Nachtigal, KUSD Teacher Previously Investigated for Inappropriate Classroom Conduct

KENOSHA, Wis. — The Kenosha Unified School District has officially terminated Ryan Nachtigal, a math teacher at Indian Trail High School and Academy, following a history of public controversy and multiple internal investigations related to his classroom conduct. KUSD Chief Communications Officer Tanya Ruder confirmed to Kenosha County Eye on Monday that “Mr. Nachtigal was terminated from KUSD on April 16, 2025.” Nachtigal had already been on leave since March 19, 2025, as first reported by

Read More »

Kenosha Man Accused of Possessing Child Pornography Held on $100,000 Cash Bail

KENOSHA, Wis. — A 40-year-old Kenosha man accused of possessing multiple explicit videos of children made his initial court appearance Friday on ten felony counts of possession of child pornography. James Louis Frangelo appeared in Kenosha County Circuit Court on May 2, where Kenosha County District Attorney Xavier Solis asked Court Commissioner William Michel II to set bail at $150,000 cash, citing the seriousness of the allegations. Michel ultimately set bail at $100,000 cash. Frangelo remains

Read More »
Categories
Archives
Authors

34 Responses

  1. Sounds like one of those episodes in locked up abroad where some poor mope gets fkd up by a country imprisoning them for some insane amount of time for minor drug charges…

    3
    2
    1. The incoming District Attorney MUST launch an exhaustive investigation into the egregious misuse of public funds during Carli and puppeteer Angie’s reign of impunity. The shocking 1996 case exemplifies the depths of this corruption, where an Assistant District Attorney shamefully scrambled for peer support ON THE RECORD to defend an indefensible position – while defendant Trujillo languished behind bars WITHOUT A SHRED OF EVIDENCE. The sheer audacity of these officials, operating under a delusional cloak of immunity, demonstrates their complete disregard for justice and public trust. It took KCE’s explosive exposé to finally shatter their wall of secrecy, prompting these cowards to resign en masse rather than face accountability for their actions. Mr. Solis now shoulders the monumental task of excavating through years of deliberately buried cases left behind by these deserters. The full findings of this investigation MUST be delivered to Madison where proper authorities can finally address these grave injustices.

      4
      4
  2. Gravely will have a party when he leaves with all of the hack prosecutors who are leaving, where they will all laud the great job he did as DA. Good riddance.

    1. Do you want literally millions of our taxpayer money to go towards fetching people from across the U.S….. all for minor crimes…..?

      Example: John Schmo has a battery charge from a bar fight 15 years ago. He paid a $200 bond, then went to California. YOU want him apprehended….

      So, we pay $4,000 to a transport company to get him and drive back from California. He gets put in the jail, fed and clothed and goes to his initial appearance. We pay for all the court costs and fees and jail costs.

      Meanwhile John Schmo’s kids are hungry because he’s not there to work and pay the bills. His rent is past due.

      He sits here at OUR expense for two weeks. He gets a deal… time served.

      We lost a ton of money because Schmo had a bad night 15 years ago. The guy he hit who insulted his mom has forgiven him long ago. Schmo is now stranded in Wisconsin while he tries to find a way home.

      Are YOU going to drive him back to California?

      There are tons of people right here in Kenosha that have warrants. Let’s deal with them. They are the local frequent flyers filling the jail and wasting everyone’s time. Unless it’s a murderer or child molester level crime, we don’t need to hunt down long gone mopes.

      16
      2
      1. Well said, worry about the serious crimes that have no statute of limitations. Not for selling a couple hundred dollars worth of nose candy to law enforcement 28 FUCKING years ago. smh Kenosha DA!

        8
        2
        1. Why are you deleting people’s comments? I thought you wanted people to be able to speak freely. Clearly you don’t want opinions that don’t line up with yours…. Wait, does that man you’re A LIBERAL? A DEMOCRAT? Is that why you’re deleting comments? Because they don’t line up with yours?

  3. wow, picking on my Mexican brother. As a Mexican, I find this treatment of my brown-skinned brother racist and overreaching. The United States of israel is supposed to be a beacon for freedom rather than a totalitarian state full of drunken and drugged sports fans. Oh, by the way, the drone “projections” are USI government-owned.
    trying to blame Iran to start another sand war. seriously usi stop trying to act like a free country that is better than the rest.

    3
    4
    1. Yes that was a total racist comment. I have grandchildren that are mexican.! And honestly in today’s world racism is a sign of immaturity. Knock it off!

      3
      1
    1. Because they’ve made enough $ to achieve and pass on generational wealth, and take it all with them. They don’t want to have their granddaughters and daughters in the bathroom with men, and they don’t want to live near a bunch of violent people like Franklin. Maybe we should all move there and be wealthy by their standards.

      3
      1
    2. True. Most are here for money… working the low paid jobs many Americans are too lazy to do. They keep the farms and factories running…. so you can pay less for American goods than the now tariff-hiked overseas goods your orange idiot arranged.

  4. Where is the info that supports your headline? Where did he set up his prosecutors to fail? Maybe you should learn how extradition works before you bash a decision to extradite! The man had an active felony warrant after he fled the county to avoid prosecution. There is a time limit to respond to an extraction request from another state. Nobody, not even your buddy Solis, has enough time to ensure that any and all evidence that was there is still there years later before responding to the request to extradite. Again, not even your buddy Solis has enough time to gather that info before the decision has to be made. Based on the picture you’re painting, it sounds like your boy Solis is just going to deny any and all extradition requests because it cost money to do so. Is he just going to deny prosection every time? Sounds reasonable considering he is a horrible trial attorney and seems to push all his clients toward a plea deal to avoid showing just how bad of an attorney he really is.

    And instead of saying “A member of the legal community” in most of your recent posts, why don’t you just name Xavier Solis? Everybody knows he is now and has been your source of information for quite some time. You also keep calling the current DAs office staff a bunch of liberals. Just because you didn’t like some of the decisions that have been made does not make them liberal. I hope you’re hungry Kevin, you may be eating those words of support for your boy Solis once he starts making the same decisions you’re so publicly critical of. It’s easy to criticize when you won’t know what the job entails. It’s pretty hard to recover when it’s your friend that you have to defend after being so critical of their predecessor.

    1. Just how long does it take to call the evidence office/person and ask them to look for boxes and papers ?
      And in an instance like this, wouldn’t it be asked to drop everything and expedite this request ?

      One day ? Maybe two ?

      And if it takes longer than that, what does that say about that process anyway ? The people, the process, the building and rooms where evidence is stored ?
      Wouldn’t that be something the DAs office can or should revamp ?

      That aside, when you look at the totality of the original case, is just having this guy not live in the US enough ?
      Gravley could have just told Texas no, just deport him back to Mexico with the warning not to come back.

      Isn’t that what we all want anyway ?

      1
      1

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories
Archives
Authors

Subscribe to updates

Get notified of new articles. We'll never share your email address.