The secretary-treasurer of the Grand Portage Band of Chippewa Indians Tribal Council admitted today that he purchased prescription pills from an informant working with the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office.
Dean Frederick Deschampe Sr., 46, pleaded guilty in St. Louis County District Court to felony possession of the pain reliever OxyContin, a controlled substance. OxyContin is a drug similar to morphine and is used to treat pain.
Brent Olson, a staff attorney with the Indian Legal Assistance Program, represented Deschampe. Olson told Judge Mark Munger that his client has reached a plea agreement with the St. Louis County Attorney's Office in which he qualified for deferred prosecution as a first-time drug offender and because he is amenable to probation. Olson declined comment after the hearing.
Under deferred prosecution, the court may, in its discretion, dismiss the proceedings against the person without an adjudication of guilt if the person does not violate any of the conditions of probation.
Munger ordered that Deschampe cooperate with an Arrowhead Regional Corrections Officer who will investigate Deschampe's background before sentencing Oct. 20.
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In his admission, Deschampe told the court he purchased 10 80-mg OxyContin pills for $700. According to the criminal complaint, an informant told a St. Louis County sheriff's investigator that Deschampe traveled to Duluth abut once a week to illegally purchase the drug.
On Sept. 9, Deschampe met a police informant at 5:45 p.m. in the vicinity of North Sixth Avenue East and Fifth Street in Duluth.
An investigator said he saw Deschampe hand something to the informant and receive something in return. The informant exited Deschampe's vehicle with $700 that the informant said Deschampe used to purchase 10 OxyContin pills.
A baggie that had contained the 10 pills was found on the floorboard of the driver's side of Deschampe's vehicle.
