Arrest of two in La Crosse County for dealing fentanyl concerning for local health official

Two people in La Crosse accused of delivering fentanyl are now formally charged with several crimes, including drug trafficking.

Jeffrey Miller and Danielle Kempfer are suspected of selling fentanyl this week, before police stopped their car and arrested them.

Fentanyl and heroin were found in a search of Kempfer’s apartment on Jackson Street.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid much stronger than normal heroin.

Chris Eberlein with the La Crosse County Heroin Task Force says in some ways it’s concerning to see the arrests.

“It is so much more potent and dangerous than typical heroin and other drugs that we usually see,” he said. “And, historically, we’ve been seeing more and more deaths attributed to these synthetic opioids. So this puts us on higher alert.”

Eberlein, an emergency room doctor at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse, says EMS and police are getting extra training on being aware of surroundings when dealing with fentanyl, as just skin contact can cause an overdose.

Eberlein hopes drug users are fully aware of the risks.

“We’ve really been trying to educate the public,” he said. “The heroin they buy is not always the heroin they’re expecting to get.”

Miller is facing six criminal counts and Kempfer has five. Kempfer was convicted five years ago for possessing drug paraphernalia.

Miller has active theft cases in both La Crosse and Trempealeau Counties.