Ten indicted for meth ring, several from Baraga County

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan has gotten an indictment returned from a federal grand jury implicating several area residents in a methamphetamine ring. Ten individuals in total are charged with distribution or possession with the intent to distribute meth. The arrests all occurred in 2021, between March 19th and December 27th.

The most serious charges are reserved for three people. 31-year-old Tyler Smith of Inskter is accused of possessing over 50 grams of the narcotic. He also has been previously convicted for a felony related to drug crimes. Additionally, 27-year-old Jason Arnold of Detroit and 34-year-old Jill Roberts of Baraga County were arrested while possessing over 50 grams of the controlled substance.

Roberts was one of five members of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community picked up as part of the investigation. Others include Clifford Durant, Jr., Shanna Decota, Peggy Swartz, and Alyson Denomie. Three individuals from the Escanaba-Harris area, including two members of the Hannahville Indian Reservation also face charges. If convicted, some could face life in prison. Others are potentially looking at 30 years or 20 years in jail as a maximum sentence.

“The Drug Enforcement Administration; Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team; the Bureau of Indian Affairs; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; FBI – Safe Trails Task Force; Michigan State Police; Delta County Sheriff’s Office; Hannahville Tribal Police Department; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community Tribal Police; and Troy Police Department investigated the case.”