Keshena woman pleads guilty to child neglect

A rural Keshena woman who pleaded guilty to neglecting a child while allegedly maintaining a drug house was sentenced Nov. 20 to three months’ probation.

Michelle E. Grignon, 35, of the Legend Lake area, and Louis J. Chevalier, 32, were both indicted earlier this year on charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises and two counts of child neglect.

According to court documents, after three months of surveillance, the Menominee County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence on Onanekwat Resort Lane on March 31. Upon entry, the officers saw a now 3-old-year child on Chevalier’s lap while Chevalier was using some sort of drug through a torch and pipe. The boy was taken into protective custody by Menominee Family Services.

Drug paraphernalia was found throughout the trailer, including scales and materials typically used in the packaging and selling of controlled substances.

Chevalier and two other people present told the officers that they had used the residence for several months to sell and buy controlled substances.

When the boy was examined at a local hospital, his urine tested positive for the presence of fentanyl, cocaine and other substances. The boy’s teeth were all severely decayed, which required extraction.

Grignon acknowledged that medical and dental care are available at no charge through the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin as she, Chevalier and the boy are all enrolled tribal members. Grignon agreed that her actions and failure to act resulted in the boy’s ingesting drugs, although he suffered no permanent bodily harm from his exposure to the drugs.

Grignon and Chevalier were both scheduled for trial on Oct. 23. However, District Judge William Griesbach allowed Grignon to plead guilty to child neglect with bodily harm as a consequence and be sentenced at the same court appearance on Nov. 20. She faced maximum penalties of three years in prison and a year on probation.

Chevalier is scheduled to plead guilty on Dec. 7.