Two Grand Portage residents, Dean Frederick Deschampe Sr., 46, and Anita Ellen Shearer, 38, were arrested on September 9, 2010 for allegedly purchasing the prescription drug OxyContin from an individual cooperating with the St. Louis County Sheriff ’s Department. Illegal purchase of OxyContin, a pain management drug, is a felony.
According to the St. Louis County criminal complaint, Duluth investigators received a tip from a “cooperating individual” that a man named Dean Deschampe comes to Duluth approximately once a week to purchase 10 OxyContin 80mg pills for $700. The individual told St. Louis County Police that Deschampe was to visit later that day to purchase pills. St. Louis County investigators provided 10-80mg OxyContin tablets to the individual in a baggie tied in a knot.
Arrangements were made for a meeting with Deschampe at the 500 block of East Fifth Street in Duluth. Deschampe arrived at approximately 5:45 p.m. in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, along with Shearer. St. Louis County investigators observed Deschampe talking to the cooperating individual, handing the individual something and receiving something in return. The cooperating individual walked away from Deschampe’s car and entered the unmarked police vehicle from which investigators were observing. The cooperating individual gave the observing police officers $700 with which Deschampe had allegedly purchased the OxyContin.
The investigators then approached Deschampe’s vehicle to make an arrest. As they attempted to place handcuffs on Shearer, she had her hand clenched. An investigator ordered her to open her hand and found that she was holding 10 green 80mg OxyContin pills, like the ones that had been placed in the plastic bag given to the cooperating individual. Also found in the car was a ripped-open knotted baggie.
Shearer and Deschampe both claimed that Shearer had a prescription for the pills.
The couple was arraigned on September 10 and Judge John E. DeSanto set bail for each of them at $10,000. They were charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance, which carries a maximum sentence of five years and/or $10,000 for a first conviction.
They were both released on bail on September 11 and are scheduled to appear in court on September 29.
Deschampe is the secretary-treasurer of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation Tribal Council. Contacted by phone on September 16, Tribal Chair Norman Deschampe said he had no comment at this time.
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