Keshena man sentenced to 3 years in prison

A rural Keshena man was sentenced March 8 in federal court to three years in prison on charges of child neglect and maintaining a drug house. According to court documents, Louis J. Chevalier, 32, his girlfriend, Michelle Grignon, and their 3-year-old son were living with Chevalier’s sister and her boyfriend in a trailer in the Legend Lake area. Authorities believed the four adults were addicted to methamphetamine and/or heroin and that drugs were being dealt at the trailer on Onanekwat Resort Lane. During a March 2023 search of the residence, Chevalier was found in his bedroom seemingly groggy from heavy drug use but with a pipe in his hands. The boy ran into the bedroom and was on his dad’s lap when authorities found him. Indications of drug activity were recovered from the trailer, and the boy was taken to a hospital where he tested positive for fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances. His teeth were rotted to the point of needing extraction. The boy was taken into protective custody by the Menominee Family Services. Chevalier told authorities that he and Grignon were addicts and sold drugs out of their house to maintain their supply. He said he knew that his life was in a downward spiral and hadn’t kept his child safe. Chevalier was indicted with Grignon in August for maintaining a drug-involved premises, child neglect-drug endangerment and child neglect-bodily harm as a consequence. He pleaded guilty in December to counts one and three and faced a maximum punishment of six years in prison. Chevalier’s release on bond was revoked on Feb. 29 for violating conditions not made public. The U.S. Attorney asked for a three-year sentence. Chevalier’s attorney, Thomas Erickson, sought a sentence of three years’ supervised release, arguing that his client has remained drug free for much of his time on pre-trial release and lacked a prior record. Also, he said it would match Grignon’s sentence. Erickson noted that Chevalier has completed parenting classes, is taking courses at the College of Menominee Nation and has complied with the requirements of the Child in Need of Protective Services case brought by the tribe. “Furthermore, he continues his AODA sessions with Menominee County Human Services with treatment ‘on-going,’” and he hopes eventually to be reunited with his son and his two other children who are in foster care, Erickson wrote the court. U.S. District Judge William Griesbach ordered that Chevalier’s sentence is to be followed by three years’ supervised release.