WISN 12 News published August 16, 2026: Milwaukee Co. court official among 3 charged in drug operation. Prosecutors say the basement of Samotria Matthews' home was used to package, store, manufacture and keep large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl for sale.
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WTMJ News, Milwaukee local
written by Jessica Gatzow and Elizabeth Lintonen
Sunday August 16, 2026
MILWAUKEE — A former Milwaukee County court official is one of three family members facing felony charges after police found fentanyl, cocaine and a gun in her home.
Samotria Matthews, 54, was charged with maintaining a drug trafficking place as a party to a crime. According to LinkedIn, she was a deputy division administrator for the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court.
A criminal complaint says police were conducting a narcotics investigation at a home near 46th St. and Glendale Ave. on Aug. 11, when Terrion Matthews and Rodney Matthews led officers on two separate high-speed chases.
The complaint says Terrion, 26, was wearing an ankle monitor when he left the house in a black Acura. Officers attempted a traffic stop, then chased Terrion at nearly 100 mph, eventually losing sight of the car.
Officers then observed Rodney, 54, leave the house in a black BMW. He allegedly picked up Terrion and then led officers on a second pursuit, reaching speeds over 100 mph and driving into oncoming traffic before crashing into a traffic signal near Green Bay Ave. and Hampton Ave. Police arrested Rodney at the crash scene and arrested Terrion after he attempted to flee on foot.
Back at the house that Samotria owns, investigators found over one kilo of fentanyl, multiple packages of cocaine and several packages of cocaine-fentanyl mixtures totaling hundreds of grams, drug processing equipment, a handgun and $2,000 in cash. Investigators believe the basement of the home was used to package, store and manufacture narcotics for sale.
Rodney faces seven felonies, including possession with intent for both cocaine and fentanyl, maintaining a drug trafficking place, possession of a weapon as a convicted felon, first-degree recklessly endangering safety, fleeing an officer and harboring a felon, as well as a misdemeanor for bail jumping.
Terrion faces five felonies, including possession with intent for both cocaine and fentanyl, maintaining a drug trafficking place, second-degree recklessly endangering safety and fleeing an officer.
The criminal complaint did not specify the three suspects’ relationships to each other, but did say Samotria and Rodney appeared to share a bedroom. All three have their first court appearance scheduled for Monday, Aug. 17 at 8:30 a.m.
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