U.S. Department
of Justice
Press Release
Man and Woman Indicted for Child Neglect and Drug Offenses on Menominee Indian Reservation
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin
Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on August 15, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging a man and woman with child neglect and controlled substance offenses on the Menominee Indian Reservation. The indictment named Louis J. Chevalier (age: 32) and Michelle E. Grignon (age: 35) who both lived in a residence in the Legend Lake area of the Menominee Indian Reservation.
The indictment charged Chevalier and Grignon with the following counts:
|
COUNT |
CHARGE |
PENALTY |
|
One |
Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises 21 U.S.C. § 856(a)(1) |
Up to 20 years in prison; up to a $500,000 fine; up to 3 years on supervised release; and a mandatory $100 special assessment |
|
Two |
Child Neglect – Drug Endangerment 18 U.S.C. §§ 1153(a) and (2)(a); Wis. Stat. § 948.21(2)(g) and (3)(e)(1) |
Up to 18 months in prison; up to a $100,000 fine; up to 1 year on supervised release; and a mandatory $100 special assessment |
|
Three |
Child Neglect – Bodily Harm as a Consequence 18 U.S.C. §§ 1153(a) and (2)(a); Wis. Stat. § 948.21(2)(a) and (3)(d) |
Up to 3 years in prison; up to a $100,000 fine; up to 1 year on supervised release; and a mandatory $100 special assessment |
According to filed court documents, on or about March 31, 2023, officers with the Menominee Tribal Police Department and Menominee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant based on drug activity at the Chevalier-Grignon residence. Officers discovered a 3-year-old child who was exposed to controlled substances and suffered from medical neglect caused by Grignon and Chevalier’s failure to take action to provide necessary care to the child.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department, Menominee County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, with assistance from Willow Tree Cornerstone Child Advocacy Center in Green Bay. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute the case.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
# # #
For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer
414-297-1700
Updated August 18, 2023
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