Milwaukee County Circuit Court clerk's office employee charged after drugs found in home she owns
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A former Milwaukee County Courthouse official made her first appearance in court Tuesday, Aug. 18, after being charged in connection to a massive drug operation.
Fifty-four-year-old Samotria Matthews is facing a felony charge for maintaining a drug trafficking operation from inside the basement of her home on 46th St. near Hampton. Her husband and stepson are also facing several felony charges after investigators found hundreds of grams of cocaine and fentanyl inside the house.
“Count 14, maintain drug trafficking place as a party to a crime,” officials stated in court.
According to a criminal complaint, on Aug. 11, undercover officers were investigating 26-year-old Terrion Matthews and 54-year-old Rodney Matthews at a home near 46th and Hampton.
The house and a car at the residence were registered to Samotria. Inside the home, investigators found cocaine and fentanyl totaling just shy of 1,900 grams.
“I am going to order, at this time, that you have no contact with the alleged co-actors at this time. Rodney Matthews and Terrion Matthew,” said Court Commissioner Katharine Kucharski.
In court, Matthews's attorney stated she served the county for several years. Matthews has since been suspended from her role at the county clerk’s office.
“Thirty-four years working for the county. The complaint details the behavior of her husband and his son. It's not her son,” said Joshua Uller, defense attorney.
Matthews' bail was set at $2,500. She's scheduled to appear in court next Thursday.