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Michigan Prosecutor: Corrigan Offered ‘No Help’ in Lenio Stalking Case

David Lenio was convicted of a misdemeanor after allegedly stalking a man on Twitter

By Justin Franz

A Michigan attorney says Flathead County Attorney Ed Corrigan didn’t provide assistance in his effort to prosecute a former Kalispell man who had threatened school children and religious leaders online.

Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said Corrigan offered “no help” in Becker’s stalking case against David Lenio, even though the Michigan prosecutor had a number of questions about a deferred prosecution agreement that Corrigan had crafted a year earlier.

“We got no help from Corrigan,” Becker said. “It’s kind of a professional courtesy to call someone back.”

Becker said his office tried calling Corrigan for more than a month and in that time received only two messages back, both of them after hours.

The Beacon was unable to reach Corrigan for comment. The Grand Rapids Press first reported Becker’s comments.

Lenio, 30, was arrested earlier this year on charges of felony stalking, felony use of a computer to commit a crime and misdemeanor malicious use of a telecommunications service after being accused of harassing Jonathan Hutson, a Maryland man who first discovered Lenio’s threatening Twitter messages in early 2015, when Lenio was living in Kalispell. Lenio was arrested in early 2015 and charged with intimidation and criminal defamation, both felonies, in Flathead County District Court. Lenio’s attorney and Corrigan eventually crafted a deferred prosecution agreement that stipulated that Lenio had to remain law abiding for two years. Lenio moved back to Michigan soon after.

Although Corrigan had the option of reopening the case against Lenio when he was charged with new crimes this year, he told the Beacon in March that he would not pursue the case again.

“He has not done anything illegal in Flathead County that would warrant further action on our part,” Corrigan said.

At a three-day trial in June in Kent County Circuit Court, Lenio was acquitted of both felony charges and convicted of the misdemeanor, according to the Grand Rapids Press. Lenio could be sentenced to up to six months in jail. He was released to the custody of his parents pending his sentencing in August.