Gun Believed to Be Used In Airport Road Shooting Recovered

BESSEMER, MI - Tuesday, June 09, 2009 - The following press release was just received from the Gogebic County Prosecutor through the Gogebic County Sheriff's Department. 

Last night, at approximately 6:00 PM the .357 Smith & Wesson that we believe was used in the Airport Road shooting, and possibly other area shootings, was recovered in a multi-jurisdictional sting.

Zackary Cadeau, 19 years old, was arrested by Troopers Rose and Marshall in Ironwood, after selling the gun for $250 and an ounce of marijuana to Dan Erspamer, Hurley Chief of Police, posing as a drug dealer who was interested in firearms. (Cadeau is the brother in law of Moses Brandon who lived with Brandon and his wife in the Powderhorn area. Moses Brandon is charged with assault to do great bodily harm stemming from the shooting that occurred at Airport and Lake roads on May 22. His preliminary exam was started yesterday in District Court but adjourned until Thursday morning at defense's request to obtain witnesses not called by the prosecution.)

Following the Airport Road shooting, Det. Sgt. Tim Doan of the MSP obtained cell phone records that showed that Brandon 's story of ditching the gun near the casino was false. The records showed the two cell phone towers that were used that afternoon as Brandon was on the run. Neither tower was reachable by cellphones from the Ashland or Bad River area.

When Moses Brandon was interviewed by Det. Sgt. Tim Doan and Deputy Pertile, he told them he had purchased the hand gun from a source in Ashland . Deputy Pertile contacted Det. Greg BeBeau in Ashland , who was able to identify and interview the source. The source told BeBeau he doesn't mess with guns and had not sold the gun to Brandon but that Brandon had approached him some time back asking if he was interested in buying a .357 hand gun.

Deputy Pertile and Det. BeBeau devised a plan to have the source in Ashland contact Cadeau and indicate he had a friend who was interested in purchasing the .357.

Last Friday, Cadeau took the bait and contacted the Ashland source saying he would sell the hand gun. This was worked through the weekend and on Sunday Cadeau drove to Ashland and met with the source and the deal was set up to take place here for Monday. When Cadeau handed the gun over to Erspamer, he told him that it was "hot as hell" and had been used in two shootings.

The sale occurred in Ironwood Township , a matter of a block away from where the firearm was reported stolen from a chalet B&E in late April or early May. Det. Rod Passuello, of the Ironwood Public Safety Department, using the resources of the GIANT drug team, in cooperation with Det. Gregg BeBeau of the Ashland PD and Deputy Dan Pertile of the GCSD, commanded the sting operation on this side of the border.

The firearm has been sent to the MSP crime lab to see if it can be matched to the slugs recovered from the Ironwood Township home invasion where a camp owner awoke to find two individuals breaking into his camp. Shots were fired in his direction as he was about to leave the front door of the camp. Slugs and .357 casings were also recovered from the scene of another Ironwood Township B&E where the window of a camp was shot out, also in early May.

Job well done, gentlemen!! It is my hope that the Gogebic County Board of Commissioners may once again consider establishing the position of detective with the Sheriff's department, that Deputy Pertile held several years back. We need the ability to coordinate and work information that can transcend scheduled shifts. I think this can only be done effectively with a detective position. I would like to thank the Sheriff for allowing Pertile to work the time that was needed to coordinate the investigation of several B&Es by several other deputies and be able to see the big picture which allowed this multi jurisdictional sting to bear fruit. Terrific work!!

Cadeau remains in custody at this time on a $50,000 cash bond. He was arraigned this afternoon on a two count felony warrant for receiving and concealing a stolen handgun and obstruction of justice by attempting to dispose of a handgun used in a shooting.