Maple Ridge Township Supervisor reaches plea deal
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ALPENA -- Maple Ridge Township Supervisor John Male, 72, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of disorderly person drunk and causing a public disturbance, trespass, and operating while visibly impaired by liquor in the 88th District Court in Alpena.
The charge of operating while visibly impaired was added as part of the plea deal. Charges of operating while intoxicated, open intoxicants in a vehicle, and a second trespassing charge were dismissed.
That second trespassing charge was in a separate file for an incident that occurred on June 20, 2025. The other charges were related to an incident that occurred last year on Aug. 23.
Male was originally scheduled for a jury trial Thursday but that was canceled due to the plea agreement.
Attorney Dave Funk established a factual basis for the guilty plea. Male answered the questions under oath.
During the incident last year on Aug. 23, Male was driving a golf cart under the influence on public property. As a result of consumption of alcohol, his ability to operate the golf cart was visibly impaired.
Male agreed that he was a "disorderly person," in other words that he was not acting as he normally would as a result of consuming alcohol.
Male's property is juxtaposed to his son's property. Male crossed over into his son's property during the incident. On that occasion, Male's son did not give him permission to be on his private property.
A person found guilty of being a disorderly person is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $500, or both.
A person found guilty of trespassing is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 30 days or by a fine of not more than $250, or both
A person found guilty of operating while visibly impaired is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by one or more of the following: Community service for not more than 360 hours, imprisonment for not more than 93 days, and/or a fine of not more than $300.00.
Male will be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 8 in the 88th District Court.
SENTENCING
Philip Adrian, 75, was sentenced to two years of probation for two charges of disorderly person obscene conduct. He pleaded no contest to those charges on June 4.
Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@thealpenanews.com.