William Wayne Ray Schubel, 33, has been sentenced to 140 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for distributing significant quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as illegally possessing multiple firearms. The sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“A four-time felon who chose to poison our communities is now going to federal prison for more than a decade,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Methamphetamine is one of the deadliest forces eating away at Minnesota’s neighborhoods. We will keep putting major dealers behind bars until our communities are free from this poison.”
Law enforcement identified Schubel as a high-volume methamphetamine dealer after a confidential informant reported seeing him with five pounds of methamphetamine packaged in vacuum-sealed bags and overheard him discussing receiving fifty pounds of the drug.
On January 10, 2024, authorities executed search warrants at two locations associated with Schubel: his residence in Oak Grove, Minnesota, and an apartment in Anoka, Minnesota. At the Oak Grove home, officers discovered 746 grams of methamphetamine and 220 grams of cocaine inside a backpack that also contained a digital scale. Police also found twelve firearms, ammunition, firearm accessories, and a loaded Glock .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine under Schubel’s pillow.
At the Anoka apartment, law enforcement recovered an additional five grams of methamphetamine along with items related to drug packaging and firearm maintenance.
Schubel was arrested on the same day while in his car; he had $2,378 in cash and a cellphone at the time of arrest. A search of his phone revealed evidence consistent with drug trafficking activities including messages advertising controlled substances using code names and offering them for sale in various quantities.
Agents also found messages where Schubel discussed selling drugs and acknowledged the risks involved: “the Feds can find it and look at that shit,” he wrote about deleting his messenger app.
Schubel’s criminal record includes four prior felony convictions—one for domestic assault by strangulation and three for drug distribution or possession—which legally prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raphael B. Coburn prosecuted the case.
