Dana's Dispatch: coalition to keep DACA, Ann Arbor dioxane plume, expungement scammers, & more!

[logo]( Nessel, multistate coalition push back against ongoing effort to end DACA Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 20 attorneys general, led by California and New York, in an amicus brief pushing back against the ongoing effort led by Texas to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In the friend-of-the-court brief filed before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the coalition reiterates the critical importance of DACA for states across the country and the hundreds of thousands of Dreamers and their families who depend on the program, including the more than 6,542 Michiganders who have directly benefited from DACA. “Ending DACA would be detrimental to thousands of Michigan residents and their families,” Nessel said. “Further, a DACA reversal would hurt the U.S. economy by causing this country to lose millions of highly skilled workers and entrepreneurs. Being meaningful contributors to this country is the only life they know, and they should be allowed to continue to do so. I stand firmly with my colleagues in asking the court to uphold this crucial legislation.” [READ MORE]( Oakland County Legal News (March 20, 2023) Nessel, multistate coalition push back against ongoing effort to end DACA Retrieved from: [Nessel, multistate coalition push back against ongoing effort to end DACA](   Clio man sentenced in Tuscola County sex assault case A Clio man was sentenced Monday in Tuscola County Circuit Court for the sexual assault of an underage girl. John Digiacomo, 59, who is accused of committing sexual assaults in Tuscola, Genesee, and Saginaw counties between 2014 and 2015, will serve at least 50 years in prison for the crimes he was convicted of in Tuscola County. Digiacomo was sentenced to 18 years, nine months to 60 years twice for two first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges. He was also sentenced to 10-15 years for a second-degree criminal sexual conduct charge. The defendant was also given three two-year prison terms for three counts of felony firearm. Those three sentences will run consecutively, meaning when one sentence is completed he will begin another. Digiacomo was also sentenced to 10-15 years for two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and 16 months to two years for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. Those sentences will run at the same time as the other terms. “Today’s sentencing serves as a reminder that we remain committed to securing justice for survivors,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “Sexual assaults are serious offenses, and my office will not shy away from holding these predators accountable for their actions.” [READ MORE]( Joey Oliver, MLive (March 20, 2023) Clio man sentenced in Tuscola County sex assault case Retrieved from: [Clio man sentenced in Tuscola County sex assault case](   Attorney general: Macomb developer illegally filled 18+ acres of wetlands A Macomb County developer illegally filled more than 18 acres of regulated wetlands for a commercial development, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and state environmental regulators allege. Photo Courtesy of Mandi Wright/Detroit Free Press Nessel's office and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy have sued Chesterfield 5 LLC and Utica developer Christopher Cousino, alleging violation of the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, seeking penalties and a restoration of the wetlands. According to a news release from Nessel's office, Chesterfield 5 is a real estate development company that bought a parcel of land at 17095 23 Mile Road in Macomb Township to develop and market as a commercial facility in 2018. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants illegally drained surface water from the property and planted crops on it shortly before applying for a wetland permit to build a large commercial facility. This resulted in the destruction of approximately 18.5 acres of regulated wetland, the lawsuit said. The alleged illegal activities sought to make it appear as if the site contained significantly less wetland than it had, which would increase the likelihood of receiving a permit, officials in Nessel's office stated. But during a review of the developers' wetland permit, EGLE staff reviewed historical aerial photographs that clearly showed a large, natural wetland complex on the site shortly before the application was filed. “This case involves the destruction of a significant amount of protected, regulated wetland,” Nessel said in a statement. “My office will not hesitate to protect Michigan’s natural resources from unlawful destruction.” [READ MORE]( Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press (March 22, 2023) Attorney general: Macomb developer illegally filled 18+ acres of wetlands Retrieved from: [Attorney general: Macomb developer illegally filled 18+ acres of wetlands](   Michigan attorney general announces new plan for Ann Arbor dioxane plume The state of Michigan and Gelman Sciences have reached terms on a new cleanup and monitoring plan for the Gelman dioxane plume in the Ann Arbor area. Image courtesy of MLive/State of Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Friday, March 24, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and Gelman have filed a motion asking the Washtenaw County Circuit Court to enter an updated consent judgment governing response activities to address the toxic chemical plume. It requires compliance with the current cleanup criteria of 7.2 parts per billion for dioxane in groundwater, replacing the outdated 85-ppb standard in the 2011 consent judgment, which will be superseded by the update, the attorney general’s office said. Additionally, it requires Gelman to implement additional response activities to ensure compliance with the lower cleanup criteria for drinking water, surface water and soils. “Entry of this amended consent judgment accomplishes important goals that have been in the works for some time, requiring Gelman to comply with the significantly lower and more protective cleanup criteria for 1,4-dioxane,” Nessel said in a statement. “Lower criteria and additional response activities are important steps toward addressing this contamination and important for the people of Washtenaw County.” [READ MORE]( Ryan Stanton, MLive (March 25, 2023) Michigan attorney general announces new plan for Ann Arbor dioxane plume Retrieved from: [Michigan attorney general announces new plan for Ann Arbor dioxane plume](   Here’s how scammers robbed man trying to expunge his criminal record in Metro Detroit A Metro Detroit man trying to get a fresh start got hit by scammers. Help Me Hank, Hank Winchester, Investigative Reporter Bradon Carr, Digital Content Producer He was trying to get his criminal record expunged and hired a service to help him do it. They ended up doing very little more than just taking his money. Attorney General Dana Nessel was furious. Those scammers are preying on people seeking a better life, and she wants you to be aware of the scam. “I feel like they played me out of my money or took advantage of me,” said scam victim Leanell Wheeler. Wheeler was looking for a fresh start and was working to clear some prior drug charges off his record. He wanted to move on from the past and take advantage of new opportunities. “I still got the felony on my record of the high misdemeanor that I was trying to get expunged way back in 1992, that I am trying to get taken off of my record,” Wheeler said. Wheeler did some digging online and found a Texas-based company offering to wipe his record clean but for a hefty fee. Working to erase a few minor drug charges would cost him over $2,000, a significant investment that he thought was worth it. He sent the cash, had one follow-up call, and then nothing—zero communication with the company. Help Me Hank has been in touch and forwarded the company’s information to Nessel. “Bad actors will stop at nothing to take your hard-earned money. Under Michigan’s clean slate laws, automatic expungements will begin happening for eligible convictions on April 11. I encourage anyone considering paying someone for expungement assistance between now and then to wait for this roll-out to begin.” [READ MORE]( Hank Winchester, WDIV (March 24, 2023) Here’s how scammers robbed man trying to expunge his criminal record in Metro Detroit Retrieved from: [Here’s how scammers robbed man trying to expunge his criminal record in Metro Detroit](   KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DANA: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Web Site]( Any donor history information in this email reflects what we have on file for this specific email address. If you have donated with a different email address, with a check, or with a spouse – thank you so much. We have that on file and cannot thank you enough for your support. Paid for by Friends of Dana Nessel Friends of Dana Nessel P.O. Box 11141 Lansing, MI 48901 United States If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please [unsubscribe](.