By Joe Morey
News Editor
LCO Police Chief Tim DeBrot told the LCO Tribal Governing Board (TGB) on Monday morning, March 1, that all of his officers did an excellent job during the raid on the Martinson residence on Thursday, Feb. 25 in the Watertower Community of the LCO Reservation.
Chief DeBrot said they apprehended a suspected main supplier of heroin to the reservation, a resident of the Twin Cities, who was at the residence when it was raided. DeBrot added there has been suspected drug trafficking at the residence for a long time and the timing of the raid was perfect to catch seven persons in the home, including Levon Smith of Minnesota.
Gary “Little Guy” Clause said the TGB will now consider using their new Exclusion and Removal Ordinance, or better known around reservations as a banishment code, to ban anyone from the LCO Reservation who was arrested during the raid who is not a tribal member.
DeBrot thanked the TGB for their support in allowing the LCO Police Department to recently upgrade their equipment. DeBrot said the suspects in the Martinson residence were armed to the teeth, “And we never want to be outgunned going into a situation like this.”
Members of the TGB thanked Chief DeBrot and all of his officers for doing an excellent job in removing such a large amount of heroin/fentanyl from the tribal community.
In the photo: Martinson Sr (top left), Martinson Jr (top right), Yvone Martinson (middle left), Sheena Martinson (middle center), Monica Tainter (middle right), Levon Smith (bottom left) and Javaka Starkey (bottom right)
Previous Article on the Watertower Drug Raid; Press Release from LCO Police Chief
On Thursday,February 25, 2021 at approximately 5:16 P.M., Officers of the Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Police Department executed a search warrant at 12895W Watertower Lane, Hayward.
After obtaining probable cause for a search warrant Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Police Department Native American Drug and Gang Initiative (NADGI)team members executed the search warrant. As a result of the search warrant, Officers arrested the following people:
- Neil Martinson Sr. {64), of Hayward for Possession of Schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, possession with intent to deliver schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, felon in possession of a firearm, child endangerment, maintaining a drug trafficking house and possession of THC.
-Yvone Martinson (40) of Hayward for Possession of schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, possession with intent to deliver schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, felon in possession of a firearm, child endangerment and possession of THC.
-Sheena Martinson {33) of Hayward for possession of a schedule 1 and 2 narcotic, possession with intent to deliver schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, child endangerment, maintaining a drug trafficking house, possession of THC and a Sawyer County warrant.
-Monica Tainter (27) of Hayward for possession of a schedule 1 and 2 narcotic, possession with intent to deliver schedule1 and 2 narcotics, child endangerment, possession of THC and several outstanding warrants.
-Levon Smith (22) of Minnesota for Possession of Schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, possession with intent to deliver schedule1 and 2 narcotics, possession of THC felon in possession of a firearm, child endangerment, maintaining a drug trafficking house, Unauthorized use of an entity's identifying information or documents and Identity theft.
-Neil Martinson Jr {30) of Hayward for Possession of Schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, possession with intent to deliver schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, child endangerment, maintaining a drug trafficking house and possession of THC.
-Javaka Starkey (44) of Hayward for Possession of Schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, possession with intent to deliver schedule 1 and 2 narcotics, felon in possession of a firearm, child endangerment, maintaining a drug trafficking house and possession of THC.
Officers seized 181 prepackaged bindles of heroin/fentanyl, 92.66 grams of marijuana, cash in excess of $6,000, several illegal firearms and ammunition, multiple items of drug trafficking and drug paraphernalia.
You are hereby advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Police Department will continue their efforts in their mission to protect the citizens of the Lac Courte Oreilles reservation.
