United States Attorney Stephen J. Murphy announced today that the seventh and last defendant in a seven person methamphetamine manufacturing conspiracy was sentenced in federal court by United States District Judge Marianne O. Battani. Patricia Schoeninger, 44, of Algonac, was sentenced to 30 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release, upon her guilty plea in June 2006 to one count of Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine.

The convictions in these cases, which constitute a part of United States Attorney Murphy’s district-wide Methamphetamine initiative that he announced in August, 2005, resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the FBI, the Michigan State Police, and the County of Macomb Enforcement Team (“COMET”) into multiple methamphetamine labs operating in Macomb County and St. Clair County, Michigan. The investigation turned up evidence that several people associated with the Michigan-based Devil’s Diciples [sic] motorcycle gang were manufacturing methamphetamine in clandestine labs. (The gang intentionally misspells “Diciples.”)

In March 2005, COMET executed search warrants at the suspected meth lab locations and at the Devil’s Diciples main clubhouse in Mt. Clemens. The search warrants revealed two fully operational and running meth labs, evidence of other labs, instructions on how to make meth, large supplies of meth manufacturing precursors (e.g., acetone, muriatic acid, red phosphorus, hydrochloric acid, cold tablets, glass flasks, and heating plates), five firearms, and approximately 2,000 rounds of live ammunition.

United States Attorney Murphy stated, ”Meth is a lethal and pernicious substance that wreaks havoc on the lives of those who use it, those who manufacture it and, increasingly, those children who are affected by care givers who are users or manufacturers of the drug. Our meth initiative was designed and publicized to stem the tide of this substance from sweeping into our metro area and the significant sentences imposed in this case indicate we are seeing success.”

Defendants in the case include:

Demetrius John Meffer (a.k.a. “Demi”), 38, of Chesterfield Township, pleaded guilty in May 2006 to Conspiracy to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Attempting to Manufacture Methamphetamine. He was sentenced in October 2006 to 97 months imprisonment

Joseph Paul Rottman, 43, of Macomb Township, pleaded guilty in April 2006 to Attempting to Manufacture Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. He was sentenced in October 2006 to 78 months imprisonment

Michael William Mastromatteo (a.k.a. “Iron Mike”), 48, of Mt. Clemens, who pleaded guilty in June 2006 to Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Methamphetamine, Attempting to Manufacture of Methamphetamine, Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises, and Endangering Human Life While Manufacturing Methamphetamine. He was sentenced in October 2006 to 63 months imprisonment.

Gregory Schoeninger (a.k.a. “Breakdown”), 45, of Algonac (Patricia Schoeninger’s husband), was found guilty of Possession of Methamphetamine and Felon in Possession of a Firearm following a jury trial in March 2006. He was sentenced in September 2006 to 57 months imprisonment.

Tami Irene Watters, 41, of Gaylord, pleaded guilty in April 2006 to Attempting to Manufacture Methamphetamine. She was sentenced in September 2006 to 48 months imprisonment.

Drago Stajninger, 41, of Chesterfield Township, pleaded guilty in May 2006 to Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. He was sentenced in October 2006 to three years of probation.

The cases were prosecuted by Assistants United States Attorney Matthew Schneider and Saima Mohsin. United States Attorney Murphy thanked them for and credited them with a compelling prosecution and he paid tribute to the law enforcement agencies involved as well.