A Stephenson man charged in connection to stealing more than $100,000 of timber from the State has pleaded guilty, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Thusday.
Raymond Vetort – owner of R&J Logging, an independent logging company – was bound over for trial in July on the following charges:
• One count of trespassing or damages to state land – $20,000 or more, a 10-year felony and/or $15,000 fine.
• One count of larceny, a 10-year felony and/or 15,000 fine.
• One count of malicious destruction – trees, shrubs, crops, grass, turf, soil - $20,000 or more, a 10-year felony and or $15,000 fine.
Although Vetort’s business had a contract to enter and log on state land, he allegedly marked and took timber that was not allowed by the contract.
Thursday before Judge Christopher Ninomiya in Menominee County Circuit Court, Vetort pleaded guilty to trespassing or damages to state land - $20,000 or more. He will pay $50,000 of the restitution to the State by his sentencing date and not be able to bid on DNR logging contracts as part of the plea agreement.
“Limited logging contracts strike an important balance between resource preservation and economic development,” Nessel said. “The deliberate use of these contracts to obtain access to steal State timber is a serious criminal offense and will not be tolerated.”
Sentencing will be December 10 at 9:30 a.m. CST.
