Former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield was arraigned in an East Lansing court Thursday morning where he pleaded not guilty to all charges brought against him.
Chatfield, a Republican from Levering who served as Speaker of the House from 2019 to 2020, was charged last month with over a dozen felonies relating to alleged mishandling of thousands of public and private dollars. He is accused of funding a lavish lifestyle with political or taxpayer funds, including trips to the Bahamas and theme parks in Florida. His wife Stephanie Chatfield was also charged with two felonies relating to the allegations.
Lee Chatfield, over Zoom, acknowledged the charges against him, including conducting a criminal enterprise, embezzlement from a nonprofit and embezzlement by a public officer.
Each of the charges carries the possibility of at least a 5-year sentence, with embezzlement from a nonprofit carrying a possible 10-year sentence and the conducting of a criminal enterprise carrying a possible 20-year sentence.
Stephanie Chatfield similarly acknowledged the charges against her — embezzlement from a nonprofit and conspiracy to commit such embezzlement. Each of these charges comes with a possible 10-year sentence. Stephanie Chatfield also pleaded not guilty.
Judge Molly Hennessey Greenwalt set a probable cause hearing for June 6 at 8:30 a.m. and an in-person preliminary examination for June 13 at 9 a.m., though she acknowledged that the preliminary examination date was likely a placeholder. The Chatfields and their lawyers agreed to waive the standard requirement for a probable cause hearing within 21 days of an arraignment.
Lee Chatfield had his bond set at $100,000, while Stephanie Chatfield had her bond set at $50,000. Both are personal recognizance bonds, meaning that the defendants are not required to provide money up front and that Hennessey Greenwalt does not consider the couple to be at risk of fleeing prosecution or presenting a public danger.
The couple will not be allowed to travel out-of-state without permission from the court. The Chatfields will need to surrender their passports and present their fingerprints by May 10.
Hennessey Greenwalt did not put in place a no-contact order, since the couple remains married and raising five children together.
The Chatfields joined the Zoom from Kentucky, an accommodation that was approved by Hennessey Greenwalt earlier this week. The couple made the request for out-of-state travel through their attorneys, who said the trip had been planned months in advance and that the their clients did not present a flight risk.
“They have had plans to go to Kentucky for a number of months, long before the charges were issued in this case,” said Mary Chartier, Lee Chatfield’s attorney. “He’s had two and a half years to try and sneak away if he wanted to — he doesn’t want to, he never has.”
Chartier said that the Chatfields have traveled numerous times since the investigations into allegations of financial wrongdoing and sexual assault began over two years ago. Chartier noted that the couple traveled to Europe in this time and would be traveling to Kentucky without their five children, saying that the court shouldn’t have to worry about them not returning to Michigan.
Chartier said that a portion of the trip would be for business purposes but that a significant component would be for personal enjoyment. Chartier said that the business component related to Chatfield’s consulting business but declined to offer further details publicly.
Chartier said that the Chatfields “likely will go to the Kentucky Derby” and enjoy other local meals and activities. Chartier said that the Chatfields would leave on May 1 and return on May 6 and travel by car.
