Upper Peninsula Breaking News Exclusive: U.P. marijuana conspiracy that sold hundreds of pounds of pot busted with 10-count indictment against 4 people, Feds say
(Marquette, MI) – Four Upper Peninsula residents are charged with conspiring to run a marijuana distribution ring that allegedly dealt hundreds of pounds of pot in four U.P. counties after a federal judge on Tuesday ordered a 10-count indictment unsealed, Upper Peninsula Breaking News has learned.
- Alleged U.P. federal pot conspiracy suspect Spencer Troy Ward of Bruce Crossing, MI. The 10-count, 18-page federal conspiracy indictment names Spencer Troy Ward, 55, of Bruce Crossing; Sharon Marie Peltola, 54, of Bruce Crossing; Robert Harley Stapleton, 43, of Iron River, Craig Robert Asikainen, 36, of Negaunee.
The indictment seeks forfeiture proceedings against the suspects to force them to turn over all property and proceeds from the alleged marijuana conspiracy. As part of two “forfeiture allegations” the government is seeking a money judgement of at least $448,000 from the defendants that “the United States estimates is gross proceeds from the conspiracy charge.
Charged in the 18-page federal conspiracy indictment are Spencer Troy Ward, 55, of Bruce Crossing; Sharon Marie Peltola, 54, of Bruce Crossing; Robert Harley Stapleton, 43, of Iron River, Craig Robert Asikainen, 36, of Negaunee.
The forfeiture demand includes three parcels of land Ward owns at 14747 N. Paynesville Road in Bruce Crossing; at 3954 U.S. Highway 2 West in Iron River Township; and at 4748 Rosemont St. in Watersmeet Township. The government is seeking any other proceeds of the alleged marijuana ring that may have been omitted on reporting forms by the defendants.
The suspects appeared yesterday (Tues, May 17, 2016) before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley in Marquette on a superseding indictment. A federal grand jury returned the sealed superseding indictment on May 10 and it was unsealed Tuesday after the suspects appeared in court.
The original indictment, filed April 12, only named Ward. The charges first surfaced against Ward on March 29 in a “sealed criminal complaint” that was unsealed two days later when he made his first appearance in federal court. Out on bond, Ward did not have to make another appearance this week, but the other three were in court Tuesday.
The indictment alleges the ring distributed hundreds of pounds of marijuana between Oct. 2014 and Feb. 18, 2016. Ward is accused of distributing 100 or more marijuana plants plus over 220 pounds (100 kilos) of cultivated marijuana. Peltola, Stapleton and Asikainen are all charged with each distributing 50 or more marijuana plants plus over 110 pounds (50 kilos) of cultivated pot.
The most serious charge against the four is conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess marijuana plants and cultivated marijuana. The suspects “knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed with each other and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury,” the indictment charges. The operation distributed pot in Marquette, Gogebic, Ontonagon and Iron counties, according to the grand jury indictment.
Peltola, Asikainen and Stapleton are all charged with one felony count of distribution of marijuana.
Peltola, Asikainen and Stapleton each face one felony charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Ward is charged with three felony counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and three felony counts of manufacturing 100 or more marijuana plants. All those charges involve incidents ‘on or about Feb. 18, 2016’ in four U.P. counties.
- Count two: Peltola is accused of distributing marijuana on or about Dec. 10, 2015 in Gogebic County
- Count three: Asikainen is charged with distributing marijuana on or about Feb. 12, 2016 in Marquette County
- Count four: Stapleton is accused of distributing marijuana on or about Feb. 17, 2016 in Iron County
- Count five: Ward and Peltola are charged with possessing pot with intent to distribute in Gogebic County
- Count six: Ward and Stapleton are accused of possessing marijuana with plans to distribute in Iron County
- Count seven: Ward and Asikainen are accused of possessing pot with intent to distribute in Marquette County
- Counts eight, nine and 10: Ward allegedly manufactured over 100 pot plants in Ontonagon County
An initial pretrial conference for Asikainen and Peltola, Stapleton was set for June 14 before Magistrate Greeley; and a tentative jury trial jury trial was set for Sept. 6 before federal Judge Robert Holmes Bell. Further court dates for Ward are being rescheduled and have not yet been set.
Asst. federal public defender Beth LaCosse appeared on behalf of the three defendants Tuesday for first their appearance and arraignment during which Magistrate Greeley defendants advised the trio of the charges, possible penalties and their rights. All defendants stood mute and not guilty pleas were entered by Magistrate Greeley. LaCosse will continue as Asikainen’s attorney, while Peltola and Stapleton will be appointed attorneys. Ward is represented by Marquette attorney Timothy C. Quinnell.
All the suspect were released on personal recognizance bonds with conditions.
Upper Peninsula Breaking News by Greg Peterson 