By Greg Peterson
Owner, Upper Peninsula Breaking News
(Marquette, MI) – A no tolerance stance by tribal police and federal prosecutors on Native American habitual domestic violence continues in “Indian Country” across the Upper Peninsula and the arrests include the son of a well-known female tribal elder who stood for women’s rights.
Stiff prison sentences have been given in past 3 years to numerous men who beat or tried to strangle a female partner.
Glenn Daniel Tolonen, Sr., 42; Baraga, MI
A federal grand jury returned a two-count felony indictment on Dec. 15, 2016 charging Glenn Daniel Tolonen, Sr., 42, of Baraga with assault by strangulation and habitual offender domestic assault for an attack on November 4, 2015, in Baraga County on lands “within the exterior boundaries of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation.”
Appearing on March 1, 2016 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley, Tolonen pleaded guilty to count two habitual domestic assault in an agreement with the government to drop the other charge; and will be sentenced in June 2016. He is free of personal recognizance bond.
Both the victim and suspect are native.
“An Indian, (Tolonen) assaulted his dating partner .. an Indian female, by strangling
and attempting to strangle her,” the indictment reads in part.
“The defendant committed this assault after having been convicted on at least
two separate prior occasions” of offenses that include “assaults against an intimate partner,”
the federal indictment reads.
Tolonen has three KBIC tribal court convictions for assault and battery and a February 1, 2000 Baraga County 97th District Court conviction for one count of domestic violence. Tolonen’s tribal court convictions were on October 4, 1996; May 20, 1998; and June 21, 2001.
Tolonen’s late mom was a historic member of the tribe who died at age 80 in Nov. 2015.
Scott Joseph Loonsfoot, 37; L’Anse, MI
A federal grand jury indicted Scott Joseph Loonsfoot, 37, of L’Anse on May 12 on one felony county of assault by strangulation that allegedly happened on April 15, 2016 in Baraga County on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) reservation.
Numerous hearing dates and filing deadlines for Loonsfoot have been scheduled. Loonsfoot could stand trial by September. On May 13 Loonsfoot was appointed a federal public defender
The victim and the suspect are both native.
“An Indian, (Loonsfoot) assaulted his dating partner … an Indian female, by strangling and attempting to strangle her,” the federal indictment states.
Justin Ryan Wykoff, 27; Sault Ste. Marie, MI
Justin Ryan Wykoff, 27, of Sault Ste. Marie was indicted on March 8 for felony habitual offender/domestic assault for allegedly attacking his live-in girlfriend on December 18, 2015 in Chippewa County on tribal trust lands of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
Jailed in Chippewa County since his arraignment in federal court on March 30, Wykoff is awaiting a ruling from a judge on an “ends of justice” “unopposed Motion for Continuance”made by his court-appointed federal public defender, Asst. U.S. Public Defender Elizabeth “Beth” LaCosse.
Promising to proceed with “due diligence,” LaCosse is requesting that Wykoff’s trial be delayed about two weeks from the current date of June 20 and that other interim hearings be rescheduled with jury selection “no later than 45 days from today (May 19, 2016).”
LaCosse has served as a state prosecutor in three U.P. Counties, but now is the defense attorney for low-income defendants in federal court and serves in Marquette Branch of the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. Sharon A. Turek is the interim federal public defender at Western District of Michigan Federal Public Defender’s Office.
“Counsel needs additional time to contact an attorney practicing state law to discuss a potential motion to withdraw plea in state court and then to research the legal issues associated with our findings,” states LaCosse’s motion.
Federal prosecutors have no objection to the continuance, said Asst. U.S. Attorney Paul Lochner in a response to the defense motion. Lochner and Asst. U.S, Attorney Hannah Bobee have handled most of the domestic violence cases.
A construction worker, Wykoff and the victim have a child in common.
Wykoff was eligible to be charged federally as a habitual offender because of two domestic violence convictions in May and Sept. 2015 at 91st District Court in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
One one of Wykoff’s internet social sites had a plea dated Feb. 28 to keep in touch while jailed.
The post read in part:
Hello everyone. As you all know or not … Justin is in jail for a few months. I thought I’d post an address in case anybody wants to write him (at the Chippewa County Jail) to help break the monotony of his days … Thanks everyone.”
Upper Peninsula Breaking News is withholding the names of the victim names – and who are often only identified by initials in federal indictments.
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Graphics and photos:
Related Links:
Federal Judge R. Allan Edgar
U.S. District Court Judge R. Allan Edgar
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
www.miwd.uscourts.gov/content/judge-r-allan-edgar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Allan_Edgar
www.fjc.gov/servlet/nGetInfo?jid=686&cid=999&ctype=na&instate=na
www.judicialwatch.org/document-archive/allan-r-edgar-financial-disclosure-report-for-2003
www.hamiltoncountyherald.com/Story.aspx?id=1210&date=4%2F16%2F2010
Federal Judge Robert Holmes Bell
U.S. District Court Judge Robert Holmes Bell
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley
www.nmu.edu/criminaljustice/node/75
http://abc10up.com/greeley-reappointed-u-s-magistrate-judge
www.nmu.edu/criminaljustice/node/135
www.miwd.uscourts.gov/content/magistrate-judge-timothy-p-greeley
www.historyforsale.com/html/prodetails.asp?documentid=175357&start=1&page=92
Federal Public Defenders aka Federal Defense Attorneys
U.S. Assistant Public Defender Elizabeth “Beth” LaCosse (formerly Elizabeth Paczesny)
Marquette Branch of the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Western District of Michigan – in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.).
Former:
Lac Vieux Desert tribal attorney
Private practice attorney
Ontonagon County Prosecutor
Marquette County Assistant Prosecutor
Delta County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
www.barstow-lacosse.com/attorneys.html
www.lacosselaw.com/index1.html
http://milawyersweekly.com/milwblog/2013/08/05/milws-2013-women-in-the-law-honorees-announced/
Retired attorney Paul Peterson, the former Assistant Federal Public Defender working out of the Marquette Branch of the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Western District of Michigan
He was the first federal public defender in the Upper Peninsula, previously the cases were handed by a variety of attorneys on a list.
www.westmichigandefender.org/defenderContact/Paul_Peterson_Assistant_Federal_Public_Defender.php
U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan
www.miwd.uscourts.gov/content/marquette
http://judgepedia.org/Federal_Vacancy_Warning_System
U.S. Sentencing Guidelines aka federal sentencing guidelines
www.ussc.gov/guidelines-manual/amendments-guidelines-manual
www.ussc.gov/guidelines-manual/guidelines-manual
www.ussc.gov/guidelines-manual/2013-ussc-guidelines-manual
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Federal_Sentencing_Guidelines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Sentencing_Commission
U.S. Probation office aka federal probation office
Rebecca A. Howell, Chief U.S. Probation Officer
101 Federal Building
110 Michigan Ave., NW
Grand Rapids, MI
49503
616-456-2384 (office)
616-456-2223 (fax)
Michigan Western Probation Office
Marquette Divisional Office
100 N. Front St., Ste. 202
PO Box 906
Marquette, MI
49855
906-228-7432 (office)
906-228-5514 (fax)
www.justia.com/us-states/michigan/courts/western/probation/marquette-divisional-office.html
www.uscourts.gov/FederalCourts/ProbationPretrialServices.aspx
www.justia.com/us-states/michigan/courts/western/probation/main-office.html
www.uscourts.gov/FederalCourts/ProbationPretrialServices/Officers.aspx
www.michigan.gov/corrections/0,4551,7-119-1435_1503—,00.html
www.justia.com/us-states/michigan/courts/western/probation/kalamazoo-divisional-office.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Probation_and_Pretrial_Services_System
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Prisons
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_crime
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_district_court
Federal Prosecutors:
U.S. Justice Department (United States Department of Justice)
www.justice.gov/briefing-room.html
www.justice.gov/about/about.html
Federal Prosecutors who served the people of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and investigate felonies that occur in northern Michigan Native American tribal properties and reservations (each a sovereign nation)
Western District of Michigan for the Attorney General of the United States
www.justice.gov/usao/miw/index.html
U.S. Attorney General of the United States for the Western District of Michigan
330 Ionia Avenue, NW
Post Office Box 208
Grand Rapids, MI
(616) 456-2404 (main)
(616) 456-2408 (fax)
U.S. Attorneys Office aka Federal Prosecutors Marquette office
(906) 226-2500
Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Bobee
She is Native American and and an enrolled member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
www.rosettelaw.com/attorney-bio-bobee.html
www.justice.gov/dea/divisions/det/2013/det061913.shtml
Assistant United States Attorney Maarten Vermaat
www.justice.gov/usao/miw/news/2012/2012_0525_VProtasoff.html
www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/07/12/attorney-actor-john-stamos-fling-year-old-student
http://abc10up.com/greeley-reappointed-u-s-magistrate-judge
Assistant United States Attorney Paul D. Lochner
Western District of Michigan
www.justice.gov/tax/usaopress/2005/txdv05RBeauchamp03102005.html
www.justice.gov/usao/miw//news/2014/2014_0326_BHase.html
www.justice.gov/usao/miw//news/2014/2014_0307_JKoster_etal.html
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 
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