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Timber Harvester's Effort to Drop Case Fails in Otsego County

LANSING - The owner of two Michigan timber harvesting companies - G.L.F.P., Inc (commonly known as Great Lakes Forest Products) and Northern Timber Producers Inc. - will continue to face trial after an Otsego County judge denied a motion aimed at dismissing embezzlement charges he faces.

In March, Norman Kasubowski, 53, of Petoskey, was bound over to Otsego County Circuit Court on six counts of embezzlement by an agent of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000. Each charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine or three times the amount embezzled, whichever is greater.

The Department alleges Kasubowski embezzled from landowners by not accurately reporting to them the full extent of the timber harvested from their lands, so that he would not have to pay the landowners the proceeds they were owed.

Tuesday morning, Otsego County Judge Colin G. Hunter heard several motions on the case, including Kasubowki's motion to quash the bind over to circuit court. The motion to quash was denied.

"This motion denial means our pursuit of the charges against Mr. Kasubowski can continue," Nessel said. "We will continue to seek accountability for those wronged in this case."

Next dates for Kasubowski have not yet been set.

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Please note: A criminal charge is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The Attorney General's office does not provide photos of defendants, but one may be available from the booking agency, the Otsego County Sheriff's Office.

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