Former Lake County Recorder Michael B. Brown pleaded not guilty to a felony drug dealing charge Wednesday in a northern Wisconsin courtroom.
The plea came moments after Forest County Judge Leon Stenz found Wisconsin Assistant District Attorney Alexander Seifert established probable cause to believe Brown committed possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
Stenz did not immediately set a trial date on the charge, which carries a possible sentence of up to 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The brief preliminary hearing, held via videoconferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, largely featured Sgt. Adam Boney of the Forest County Sheriff's Department speaking about the drugs and drug paraphernalia he allegedly found in Brown's car after pulling Brown over at 12:20 a.m. March 15 in the town of Wabeno, Wisconsin, for driving with only one headlight.