Guilty plea scheduled in federal court for first of three charged with dealing meth near a school in Baraga County; other two suspects are in plea negotiations

Change of plea hearing reset for Jordan Michael Koskinen; receives eight-hour furlough from jail signed Nov. 15

24-year-old Jordan Michael Koskinen will plead guilty in agreement with prosecutors

By Greg Peterson
U.P. Breaking News
Owner, News Director
906-273-2433

(Marquette, MI) – A guilty plea hearing has been set this week for first of three men indicted in a federal methamphetamine case involving dealing the highly addictive drug near a school in Baraga County.

A guilty plea hearing was scheduled for 3 p.m. on Tuesday (Nov. 15, 2016) for 24-year-old Jordan Michael Koskinen. However that change of plea hearing was reset for later this week.
Instead, on Tuesday  Koskinen got an eight-hour pass – and was to be released on an unsecured personal recognizance bond. The reason for that eight-hour release has not been disclosed by federal officials. The release was signed by U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley and the brief release was not opposed by federal prosecutors.

39-year-old Matthew Gordon Lundy

24-year-old Jordan Michael Koskinen

Koskinen signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Koskinen agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine in exchange for prosecutors dropping other charges. The conspiracy charges carries a maximum of 20 years in federal prison without parole.

The plea agreement was entered into record on Oct. 18, followed the next day by that signed “notice of change of plea.” However, as late as Nov. 8 paperwork filed by the defense requested a jury trial – possibly a routine filing just in case plea negotiations failed.

Prosecuting the case is Asst. U.S. Attorney Hannah N. Bobee in Marquette.

Koskinen is listed as an inmate the the Marquette County Jail, according to a check of state records. It’s not clear the exact hours when Koskinen was free.

39-year-old Matthew Gordon Lundy

Those indicted with Koskinen are 34-year-old Nathan Thomas LaFernier, and 39 year-old Matthew Gordon Lundy, all L’Anse/Baraga area residents.

The charges in the case include dealing meth near a school and buying products needed to make the highly dangerous drug that one federal judge sitting in Marquette called meth a public health crisis and epidemic across the Upper Peninsula.

LaFernier and Lundy are believed in drug treatment and given “ends of justice” delays in the finalization of their criminal cases. Meth is especially notorious for being highly addictive and causing extreme personality changes.

Lundy and LaFernier “are currently in plea negotiations and need time to investigate issues” including “an issue regarding drug weight,” states an Oct. 31 order by U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley. That “ends of justice” order includes moving the plea agreement deadline to January 2017 instead of November.

Among the witnesses federal prosecutors would call to testify in a trial is forensic scientist Zachary Blaksmith of the Michigan State Police Controlled Substance Unit.

Greeley granted the federal version of a court-appointed attorneys with assistance from the U.S. Public Defenders office in Marquette. LaFernier is represented by attorney Michael J. Manning of Escanaba, a former Delta County assistant prosecutor. Lundy and Koskinen are represented by attorney Sarah Henderson of Marquette.

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Related info/links:

http://upbreakingnews.com/BaragaCountyFederalMethIndictment

https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/category/crystal-meth/

https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/category/meth-epidemic/

Sarah Emily Henderson

(906) 228-2855

(906) 228-2863 (fax)

shenderson@casselmanandhenderson.com

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Assistant U.S. Public Defender Elizabeth A. LaCosse

Elizabeth A. LaCosse
Federal Public Defender – Marquette
925 W Washington, Ste. 104
Marquette, MI 49855

https://www.westmichigandefender.org/defenderContact/Beth_Lacosse_Assistant_Federal_Public_Defender.php

https://www.westmichigandefender.org/

(906) 226-3050
(906) 273-0070 (fax)

beth_lacosse at fd.org

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Attorney Michael J. Manning

(906) 786-7224

mmanning at mmanninglaw.com

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Federal Prosecutors:

Asst. U.S. Attorney Hannah N. Bobee

(906) 226-2500

906-226-3700

hannah.bobee at usdoj.gov

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24-year-old Jordan Michael Koskinen