Gregory J. Haanstad, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on November 28, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Merwin J. “Pete” Wynos, Jr., a 35-year-old man from Keshena, with theft on the Menominee Indian Reservation.
The indictment charged Wynos with Theft in Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 661 and 1153(a). If convicted, Wynos would face a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
According to filed court documents, on or about September 23, 2023, Wynos stole more than $1,000 worth of property belonging to four separate companies from a construction site on the Menominee Indian Reservation.
The Menominee Tribal Police Department, Menominee County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Maier will prosecute.
An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
# # #
For Additional Information Contact: Public Information Officer
414-297-1700
