Scott Monette

HOUGHTON — The City of Houghton issued a statement on a former Houghton policeman and narcotics officer sentenced on a drug charge earlier this week.

Scott Monette, 55, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and 18 months probation under a deferred sentence for possession of methamphetamines in Houghton County Circuit Court Monday. Sentence conditions included drug testing and counseling.

Monette had also been a former member of the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team (UPSET), though he was no longer part of the unit at the time of his arrest, according to a statement from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.

In July 2021, Houghton office of UPSET received allegations Monette was using and possessing methamphetamine, the attorney general’s office said. A subsequent investigation found methamphetamine and smoking pipes at Monette’s residence and confirmed his DNA was present on the pipes.

Police Chief John Donnelly read a statement from the city during his report at Wednesday’s City Council meeting.

Immediately after the city received the allegations in November 2021, the city placed Monette on administrative leave and reported the allegations to the Michigan State Police for investigation.

Houghton had been unable to issue a comment on the matter during the MSP investigation, arrest and prosecution by the state Attorney General’s office, a process the city had initiated and with which it fully cooperated, the statement said.

“The City holds its law enforcement officers to the highest standard,” the statement said. “The City also takes the well-being of its employees seriously, offering an employer-sponsored Employee Assistance Program for employees in need of treatment. The City of Houghton wishes Mr. Monette success in his recovery.”

As part of the sentence agreement, Monette agreed not to renew his Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification, which is required for Michigan officers.

“Crimes committed by police officers harm not only the communities they swore to protect and serve, but also trust in law enforcement everywhere,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “Our chief goal in this prosecution was to ensure Monette’s law enforcement career was over, and with this plea and sentence we were able to secure that, for not only the people of Houghton but the entire state as well.”