Brainerd arrested on new charges

Kelly Allen Brainerd, 40, was also charged with one count of conspiring with others to deliver meth, after he allegedly worked with two Cody locals — Tucker D. Wirfel, 36, and Shane M. Scheid, 41.

Scheid was arrested March 7 and was charged with one count of conspiracy to deliver meth and one count of delivering meth. Wirfel was arrested on a warrant Feb. 28.

Brainerd was caught through a DCI investigation, in which a confidential informant was used to set up three controlled buys.

The first controlled buy occurred Jan. 3. The informant purchased one gram of meth from Brainerd at his Cody residence, the affidavit said. Upon arriving at the residence, the informant entered the garage, made small talk with Brainerd and asked how much the meth would cost.

“Brainerd confirmed the price to be $60 [and] presented the small clear baggie containing one gram of methamphetamine out of his pocket,” the affidavit said.

After the controlled buy, special agent Eric Wright, a Cody police officer working with DCI, interviewed the informant, who confirmed they had purchased meth from Brainerd, the affidavit said.

The second controlled buy took place Jan. 6 with the informant attempting to purchase two grams of meth from Brainerd, but was told they could only buy one gram.

“I only have one [gram] I can do at the moment,” Brainerd wrote in a text message to the informant. “Because somebody’s on a [drug] run, but most likely I will have more tonight or in the morning,”

Brainerd put the meth in a cigarette box in the front driver’s seat of the car parked in his driveway. The informant left the money on the seat, the affidavit said.

The informant was subsequently interviewed, and told Wright they “did not see any other drugs or cash in the vehicle where the drop was made,” the affidavit said.

For the third controlled buy on Jan. 12, the informant bought a 1/2 ounce of meth from Brainerd.

“Had a delivery yesterday if you needed that,” Brainerd texted the informant a day before the buy.

After the purchase, the informant said he saw approximately one ounce of meth sitting on a bench in Brainerd’s garage, which Brainerd took to a scale and weighed out a 1/2 ounce.

On Feb. 9, a fourth buy occurred, but this time, with the help of Tucker Wirfel, the affidavit said.

After his arrest Feb. 10 for having 20 fentanyl pills in his car during a traffic stop, Wirfel gave an interview, admitting to making a drug delivery on behalf of Brainerd, the affidavit said.

“Wirfel delivered 1/2 ounce of ‘clear’ [meth] to Brainerd’s friend,” the affidavit said, explaining how he drove Brainerd’s white Chevrolet Camaro to make the delivery.

The male he delivered the drugs to was Shane M. Scheid, the affidavit said.

“Agents believed ... that Wirfel delivered multiple ounces of methamphetamine through Scheid for Brainerd,” the affidavit said. “Agents believed that Brainerd and Scheid were in possession of methamphetamine with the intent to redistribute the substances within the confines of Park County.”

During an interview after his arrest, Brainerd “indicated to agents that he entered into a conspiracy with Wirfel and Scheid to obtain bulk methamphetamine from Wirfel who was returning from Casper,” the affidavit said.

Brainerd was given a $50,000 cash-only bond during his arraignment, and remains an inmate in the Park County Detention Center.