Three drug suspects going to trial

L’ANSE — The cases against three of the seventeen people arrested in a major drug bust last December are headed to trial.

55–year–old Brenda Maki, 41–year–old Thomas Bianco, and 32–year–old Corey Haataja all appeared in Baraga County Circuit Court. Maki and Bianco are charged with delivery or manufacture of suboxone while Haataja is charged with delivery or manufacture of morphine. Each count carries of maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Trial dates for the three suspects will be set for this summer and are expected to last two days each. Two other suspects involved in the drug bust, 43–year–old Angela Salbashian and 52–year–old Mark Lahti, have trials scheduled for August 8th. A pretrial hearing is set for June 23rd for 73–year–old Warren Selden.

Of the remaining eleven suspects, five are facing federal charges and six are charged in Tribal Court.