MICHIGAN — Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney Douglas R. Lloyd announced this afternoon that his office had authorized charges over the weekend for death threats made toward a member of the Eaton County Judiciary. Michael Jonathan Wetmore, age 46, of Lansing, was arrested after he called the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office and made statements threatening the life of retired Eaton County Judge Julie Reincke. As a result of an investigation by the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office, Wetmore was charged with:
- False Report or Threat of Terrorism, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and
- Telecommunications Services – Malicious Use, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 monthsin jail.
Wetmore was arraigned this afternoon in the 56A District Court by 56A District Court Magistrate Heather Berkompas. The Court set bond in the amount of $150,000 cash or surety with conditions and scheduled the matter for a probable cause conference on July 31, 2024 at 8:30am. Wetmore was represented during the arraignment by the Eaton County Public Defender’s Office.
Prosecutor Lloyd stated: “Threats against those who chose to serve the public will not, and should not, be tolerated in our society. The charges issued by my office today are serious and reflect my disdain for the defendant’s behavior. I hope that the charges will also serve as a reminder that words have consequences, especially serious threats of physical harm or death. These threats of violence are never an acceptable way of resolving our differences, particularly toward our public servants who dedicate themselves to making our community a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.”
