French’s final pre-trial scheduled for August

Stephany French pleaded not guilty April 27 to charges she delivered the drugs that caused a death at a local casino.

French, 27, is being charged with homicide and several additional felonies after allegedly being involved with a Sept. 3 death from heroin and fentanyl at the Mohican North Star Casino Resort in the Town of Bartelme.

French was represented by attorney Eric Maciolek, who appeared in person while French appeared via video from the Shawano County Jail, where she is being held in lieu of $750,000 cash bond.

Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court Judge Katherine Sloma initially offered to schedule a pre-trial conference in June, but due to the magnitude of the case, Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kaupie asked for it be scheduled for a later date. The final pre-trial was scheduled for 3 p.m. Aug. 11.

According to the initial criminal complaint, police from the Stockbridge-Munsee Police Department were dispatched to North Star Casino after security reported that a housekeeper found a deceased male while cleaning rooms. Shawano County Sheriff’s deputies found a white, powdery residue on the nightstand, but no drugs or paraphernalia were found in the room. Hotel registration showed that Lynn French was listed as the man’s guest.

After French was arrested in De Pere, authorities received a search warrant for French’s car. In the car, they found several cellphones, including the one that belonged to the victim. Other things found in the car included the key to the room where the dead man was found, three drug smoking pipes and a gem pack of drugs. One pipe and the gem pack tested positive for methamphetamine. Also found were Narcan kits.

According to the criminal complaint, during an interview with a detective, where the detective stated that people overheat when they use methamphetamine, French stated that she poured cold water on the victim to try to wake him up.

lreimer@newmedia-wi.com