New state charges filed in land-leasing case

CHEBOYGAN, Mich. (AP) - Additional charges have been filed in Michigan against an Oklahoma-based energy company in what authorities say was a land-leasing scheme. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette says a complaint from earlier this month was amended to include a dozen more victims. Chesapeake now faces 20 counts of false pretenses and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise. According to the complaint, land options in northern Michigan were obtained to keep competing companies from leasing. The leases later were canceled when competition for land ended. Chesapeake representatives were arraigned Wednesday in Cheboygan District Court. The judge set a $10,000 bond and scheduled a probable-cause hearing Aug. 18. Chesapeake spokesman Gordon Pennoyer says in a statement the charges have no merit, and the company "will vigorously contest" what he calls "baseless allegations." Published: Fri, Jun 27, 2014