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Crime & Safety

Caught with Marijuana, Dynamite in Home, Bay Man Will Go to Trial

Court commissioner rejects Hollenbeck's request to dismiss charges against him.

A Whitefish Bay man accused of will stand trial Oct. 3 after a court commissioner ruled Friday there is sufficient evidence for the case to move forward.

Brian Hollenbeck, 41, is charged with manufacturing a controlled substance and possession of an improvised explosive device.

Hollenbeck’s attorney asked the case be dismissed, but Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Dennis Cook found probable cause for a trial after detective James Staudacher testified for the prosecution.

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Staudacher testified that when Milwaukee and Whitefish Bay Police searched Hollenbeck’s home at 4788 N. Berkeley Blvd. on Aug. 22, they found materials consistent with a hydroponic marijuana-growing operation in the attic.

According to the police report, this included a climate-controlled room with water tubs, grow lights, a carbon dioxide generator, space heaters and fans.

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Staudacher testified that police also found a box with 1.2 pounds of marijuana leaves and a bag with 1.4 pounds of marijuana stems and leaves in the attic. They also found a bag with 55 marijuana root-balls and stems.

“That was indicative of how a hydroponic growing system would produce marijuana,” Staudacher said.

According to the police report, police also found two homemade quarter sticks of dynamite, a box of 15 sticks of dynamite, two one-eighth sticks of dynamite, and an M-90 stick of dynamite at the home.

Hollenbeck entered the preliminary hearing free of custody, composed, clean-shaven and wearing a crisp blue dress shirt. He had been released on a $20,000 signature bond.

Hollenbeck’s attorney, Scott Wells did not call any witnesses and asked few questions of the detective, many of which failed against relevance objections.  

One question for the detective, about whether some of the explosives were found in an “entertainment center” in the garage, prompted Hollenbeck to furrow his brow, appearing confused. 

Wells did establish with the detective that the house in question is not owned by Hellenbeck. However, Staudacher said police found many receipts, bills, invoices and legal documents in the house with Hollenbeck’s name and the name of his business, Hollenbeck Home Improvement. The house is owned by Jessica Hollenbeck.

If convicted, Hollenbeck faces a maximum sentence of 16 years in prison and $35,000 in fines.

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