IRONWOOD — Two Ironwood residents are facing charges after a traffic stop turned into a drug bust. Officials from the Gogebic Iron Area Narcotics Team (GIANT) say Michael Bernard Noble, 53, is charged with delivery or manufacture of marijuana and maintaining a drug house, while Travis William Hussey, 44, is charged with possession of meth
Read More | Traffic stop turns into drug bust
ESCANABA — Four of the five people arrested by Escanaba Public Safety for Social Security fraud have been identified. Nichole Gillis, 37 of Norway, Douglas Buskirk, 38, of Escanaba and Cynthia Ogren, 56, of Escanaba have each been charged with one count of false pretenses, $1,000 or more but less than $20,000. Sharon Philemon, 59,
Read More | Social Security fraud suspects identified
MARQUETTE — Too lenient. That’s what a Marquette County Judge called the sentencing agreement for David Hunter, 21, who pleaded no contest earlier this year to one count of aggravated assault after an incident at a local restaurant in Marquette back in January. Hunter was charged with one count of aggravated assault in April. Hunter,
Read More | Judge: Plea agreement ‘too lenient’ in assault case
MARQUETTE — An Ishpeming woman who allegedly drove her car into a cemetery fence while intoxicated over the summer was sentenced in Marquette County Circuit Court. Ashlee Domire, 20, was sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act. If she complies with the terms of her probation, no conviction will be entered in the case and
Read More | Crash suspect sentenced under HYTA
MARQUETTE — A doctor who pleaded guilty to falsifying information on a medical chart was sentenced in Marquette County Circuit Court Friday morning. Larry Carlyon, 65, was given a delay of sentence. The case will be back in court in about nine months to see if he is in compliance with his probation. As a
Read More | Doctor accused of falsifying records receives delay of sentence
HANCOCK — A Hancock man was arrested after allegedly trying to take a saw from a construction site. Hancock Police say they were flagged down shortly before noon on Tuesday by a witness who pointed out a 56-year-old man walking west down Quincy Street. The witness told police that the man had picked up a
Read More | Witness catches man allegedly stealing saw
ATLANTIC MINE — IA drug case against an Atlantic Mine man is moving forward. 47-year-old Steven John Ruotsala was arraigned in Houghton County Circuit Court, where he was arraigned on charges of Delivery or Manufacture of Meth, a 20-year felony, and Felony Domestic Violence—3rd Offense, punishable by up to five years in prison. Ruotsala pled
Read More | Drug case against U.P. man moves forward
SOUTH RANGE — The case against a Houghton County woman accused of robbing the South Range VFW is headed to trial. 37-year-old Sasha Anderson of South Range is facing charges of Embezzlement, a ten year felony and Larceny, a five year felony and making a false report of a felony, punishable by up to four
Read More | VFW robbery suspect faces charges, second suspect still at large
ST. IGNACE — A St. Ignace man could spend the rest of his life in prison for killing his own father more than two years ago. Richard McKenzie Jr., 55, received 20-years to life for second-degree homicide Wednesday morning in Chippewa County Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty in September for shooting and killing seventy-five year-old
Read More | Man sentenced for killing his father
SAULT STE. MARIE– According to the Michigan State Police, Joshua Sweet of Sault Ste. Marie was arrested following a traffic as a result of the ongoing joint investigation by U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and Michigan State Police Sault Ste. Marie Post. Sweet was arraigned today in the 91st District Court
Read More | Arrest made in Chippewa County Sexual Conduct Investigation
IRON MOUNTAIN — An Iron Mountain man will spend the next few years behind bars after pleading both no contest and guilty to several charges.
Daniel Shaughnessy, 31, was sentenced to two years in jail Monday in Dickinson County Circuit Court. In September, Shaughnessy pleaded guilty to manufacturing marijuana and purchasing a pistol without a license.
He pleaded no contest to assaulting, resisting and/or obstructing a police officer. On May 6th, the Iron Mountain Police Department arrested Shaughnessy after they were dispatched to the 1100 block of Vulcan Street for a domestic violence situation.
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UPDATE — Wednesday November 16th, 2016 6:00 a.m. EST
The Detroit Police Department reports that 11-month-old Savannah Rayford has been found safe.
DETROIT — An Amber Alert was issued in Detroit for an 11-month old.
The missing child is Savannah Rayford, an 11-month-old black female. The suspect is Marquita Dupree, a 33-year-old black female. The two were last seen today on foot around 2:30 p.m. near Moross and I-94.
Savannah is believed to be wearing a pink and gray coat, gray leggings, and pink shoes. She also suffers from sickle-cell anemia and is need of medical attention.
If you have any details, you are urged to contact the Detroit Police Department at 313-596-1616.
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CHAMPION — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is seeking help from the public to identify whoever is responsible for recent damage to numerous signs along two snowmobile trails in western Marquette County.
Signs were knocked down, run over or otherwise vandalized along Trail No. 8 and Trail No. 5 over the past weekend, Nov. 11-13. Numerous signs were vandalized recently along two snowmobile trails in western Marquette County. The location of the damage is situated in the Champion area, roughly 30 miles west of Marquette.
“Damaging trail signs is cause for concern for safety reasons and because the signs and installation are expensive,†said Ron Yesney, DNR Upper Peninsula trails coordinator. “Unfortunately, repairing the damage from this disruptive act will divert snowmobile program funding paid by snowmobilers away from maintenance of the trail system.â€
Signs will need to be replaced over at least 9 miles of trail.
From a safety standpoint, the damage to, or removal of, several “Stop†and “Stop Ahead†signs present the greatest concern for the safety of riders, pedestrians and motorists.
To report information on the damage, contact the DNR’s Report All Poaching (RAP) line at 1-800-292-7800 or contact Lt. Pete Wright, district law supervisor, at the DNR’s Marquette office at 906-228-6561.
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MARQUETTE — The trial of a man previously convicted on charges of solicitation of murder and torture has been postponed.
Jason Sadowski, 45, appeared in Marquette County Circuit Court to decide whether his trial scheduled for next Monday was to go forward.
After some debate from both sides, Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Mazzuchi moved to adjourn next week’s trial for procedural reasons. A scheduling conference will be held instead to decide on a new trial date.
This will be the second trial for Sadowski, who was granted a re–trial after he appealed his 2014 conviction to the Michigan Court of Appeals.
Sadowski was arrested in July of 2013 for the kidnapping and torture of two women inside an Ishpeming karate dojo.
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ESCANABA — One of four Escanaba residents arrested in connection to a meth lab uncovered last month in the City of Escanaba has entered a plea agreement.
Ashley Walker, 26, pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug house in Delta County Circuit Court Tuesday morning. A charge of delivery or manufacture of meth will be dismissed as a result of the agreement.
Walker was arrested along with three others after police discovered a meth lab on North Twelfth Street. She is scheduled to be sentenced on January 23rd.
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MARQUETTE — A Florida man indicted on numerous charges related to the illegal transfer of stolen property from an Upper Peninsula facility was arraigned Tuesday in Federal Court.
Michael Donald Reid of Land O’ Lakes, Florida, is charged with 13 counts of interstate transportation of stolen property. According to court records, the charges stem from Reid allegedly stealing goods from the White Pine power plant and copper refinery and sending them to locations in Green Bay and Kingsford. The Grand Jury indictment alleges that over $1 million in proceeds were made from materials transported between June of 2011 and late 2012.
Reid is scheduled to appear for a pretrial conference in U.S. District Court in Marquette on January 4th. A trial is slated to begin February sixth.
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HOUGHTON — A Chicago area man is behind bars after detectives with the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team found him with numerous drugs in his hotel room.
UPSET arrested the 38-year-old man Wednesday at the Super 8 Hotel in Houghton. Through their investigation, detectives gathered enough evidence to obtain and execute a search warrant.
UPSET seized over eight grams of suspected heroin, $500 and prescription narcotics. The suspect is currently lodged at the Houghton County Jail on charges of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and a schedule two narcotic.
His name is being withheld at this time, pending arraignment.
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HANCOCK– After holding four public safety gatherings that date back to August of last year, area law enforcement agencies and the Portage Health Foundation are pleased to announce a community- wide partnership, which formed to financially support an increased Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team, known as UPSET West.
This team will provide an increased level of narcotics enforcement to combat the growth in drug-abuse and drug- related crime in the region.
Increased drug-related crime and drug abuse from heroin, crack, meth, and opioid- based prescription drugs are creating unsafe and unhealthy communities throughout the Western U.P. This is partly due to the national rise in opiate- dependent drug seekers that drug dealers are capitalizing upon by providing them with opiate-based heroin. Heroin is a destructive drug that can lead to addiction, serious health issues, poor judgement, and death. For example, the Center for Disease Control states that the rate of overdose deaths involving opiates has increased by 200% since 2000, which causes untold pain and suffering for families and communities. In terms of criminal activity, individuals who are seeking to support drug habits commit approximately 80% of crimes. Locally, 99% of breaking and entering crimes involve drug – seeking perpetrators. Such activities reduce the quality of life in the community and jeopardize peoples’ safety.
In order to halt this growing epidemic, law enforcement and community members have united to support a plan that calls for an increased UPSET presence within the Western Upper Peninsula.
UPSET serves the largest jurisdiction, in terms of square mileage, within Michigan. In an effort to decrease response time and increase narcotics enforcement, UPSET utilizes four sub- teams within the Upper Peninsula, known as UPSET North, UPSET South, UPSET East, and the newly formed UPSET West. Along with specialized services– such as narcotics enforcement – community education, awareness, prevention, and collaboration with local police agencies are additional focuses.
UPSET was established in 1988 as a multijurisdictional narcotics task force and is comprised of detectives assigned from multiple law enforcement agencies, which include Michigan State Police,Marquette County Sheriff Department, Delta County Sheriff Department, Marquette City Police Department, Menominee City Police Department, Escanaba Public Safety Department, Houghton City Police Department, Houghton County Sheriff Department, and one Administrative Assistant. Working within the offices, and collaborating with UPSET, are federal agents assigned from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
“In the fall of 2015, local law enforcement officials approached the Portage Health Foundation with a
request to support this effort,” said Houghton City Police Chief, John Donnelly.
“After a number of meetings, we were able to get area law enforcement agencies, the Portage Health Foundation, and the local community to work together to figure out how we are going to address the increased drugs in our community.”
Since February, the Portage Health Foundation pledged to support the effort with an award of $120,000 to cover operational costs associated with specialized narcotics enforcement for the first year.
According to Chief Donnelly, UPSET West desires to have at least three years of operational funding paid for initially to sustain and secure this increased narcotics enforcement presence. Local individuals, area townships, villages, counties, businesses, and schools have contributed substantially, as well as Aspirus-Keweenaw Hospital, Baraga Memorial Hospital, UP Health System- Portage, and Michigan Technological University. “To date, with support from the Portage Health Foundation, we have raised approximately $484,000 in funding to support UPSET West,” said Chief Donnelly.
All of these contributions demonstrate that an increased UPSET presence within the Western Upper Peninsula is well supported. However, UPSET West continues to seek further community support in order to ensure the team’s longevity. If you are interested in contributing to UPSET West, please contact the Portage Health Foundation at 906-523- 5920 or UPSET at 906-228 – 1002.
According to Kevin Store, Executive Director of the Portage Health Foundation, “Our motto is ‘you make the difference – together, we make it possible,’ which is precisely what is happening. We have many individuals and businesses each making a difference, but coming together as a whole to make our communities safer through supporting UPSET. As a foundation, we are proud to support our many law enforcement agencies’ efforts focused on education, awareness, and prevention and whose work contributes toward making safer and healthier communities for everyone.”
-Courtesy of PHFoundation
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MARQUETTE — An out-of-state man entered a guilty plea Friday to a felony drug count.
Matthew Botwright, 31, of Georgia pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to deliver marijuana. Four other charges were dismissed per a plea agreement.
Botwright was arrested in April after the police conducted a traffic stop and found several drugs in the car including meth, heroin and marijuana. He will be sentenced on January 6th.
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MARQUETTE — One of two people arrested by police for having a meth lab in a vehicle entered a plea agreement Friday in Marquette County Circuit Court.
Andrea Amromov, 32, of Champion pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine. She was arrested in October after police discovered an active meth lab in the vehicle she and a man were occupying.
Amromov was released from jail on a personal recognizance bond and will be sentenced in drug court on December 21st.
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