Crime

Rapid River man pleads guilty in felony case

ESCANABA -- A Rapid River man has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges after Michigan State Police arrested him on a warrant earlier this year.

Michael Elliot Riggers, 28, appeared before Judge John Economopoulos in the Delta County 47th Circuit Court on Monday, which constituted the deadline for conditional plea negotiations.

Riggers pleaded guilty to one count of controlled substance -- possession of methamphetamine/ecstasy, a felony punishable by 10 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine; one count of carrying a concealed weapon, a felony punishable by five years in prison or a $2,500 fine with a mandatory forfeiture if weapon or device; and one count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, a felony punishable by two years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.

Riggers was initially arraigned in March on two counts of controlled substance -- possession of methamphetamine/ecstasy, one count of carrying a concealed weapon, one count of controlled substances -- maintaining a drug house, a high court misdemeanor punishable by two years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine; one count of controlled substance -- possession of analogues, a felony punishable by two years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine; and one count of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer.

The charges stem from an incident that took place earlier this year on March 29 when a trooper from the MSP Gladstone Post observed Riggers, who had an active arrest warrant, riding a bicycle.

According to a news release, the trooper saw Riggers cross the intersection of LL Road and US-2 without stopping and initiated a traffic stop.

The release further alleged Riggers initially ignored commands to stop and rode to a nearby residence before complying. He was then taken into custody for the warrant.

During MSP’s investigation, troopers discovered Riggers was carrying a concealed pistol, methamphetamine and prescription pills not prescribed to him. He reportedly did not have a Concealed Pistol License.

A subsequent search of Rigger’s residence resulted in the seizure of another pistol, 14 long guns and additional methamphetamine. According to MSP’s news release in March, one of the rifles recovered from Rigger’s residence had been reported stolen in 2016, though that was not brought up in the case discussed in court on Monday.

According to Wickman, Riggers was not charged for possessing the long guns at his residence, as there was no indication he was illegally possessing them at that time. With his felony conviction, Riggers will now be precluded from owning any firearms.

Riggers was lodged at the Delta County Jail before posting a $25,000 cash/surety bond on April 21.

In court on Monday, Riggers admitted to having methamphetamine residue in a container in his possession, carrying a Taurus 9mm pistol in his coat pocket -- which he did not have a Concealed Pistol License for -- and not stopping immediately for the trooper who was attempting to pull him over.

Also addressed on Monday were two of Wickman's motions to revoke Riggers' bond. The first motion alleged Riggers violated his curfew as part of his bond condition on Oct. 8, and the second motion alleged Riggers failed a urine test on Sept. 23.

Riggers admitted to violating his curfew. Court statements indicate Riggers had been on his expansive property cutting firewood when law enforcement arrived and observed Riggers was not inside his residence.

As for Wickman's second motion to revoke bond, probation officer Peter Formolo from the 94th District Court testified Monday. According to Formolo, Riggers’ urine sample from Sept. 23 was found to be unsuitable for testing.

Formolo said any creatinine level below 20 on the creatinine level scale is considered diluted. Riggers' creatinine level was reportedly 3.3, and the testing lab considers anything below 6.0 to be a non-human sample.

Formolo told the court he had never known Riggers to use "dirty" or contaminated samples before. However, Formolo could not recall if he was present in the bathroom at the time Riggers' provided his urine sample.

Riggers' attorney, Dominic Andiracchi, told Economopoulos he felt there was a lack of evidence to show any nefarious activity on Riggers' behalf pertaining to the urine testing.

"Regardless of what the urine was or wasn't, it is a failed test," Economopoulos concluded, siding with Wickman's two motions to revoke Riggers' bond.

Riggers was subsequently booked back into the Delta County Jail on Monday for a 10-day period. He is set to be sentenced in the 47th Circuit Court on Feb. 16, 2027.

------

Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.