A disturbing case out of Ionia County is raising serious questions about government accountability—and why one Michigan woman has been left to suffer while the local State Rep. Gina Johnsen and others in power look the other way.
Lois Laroe says she has effectively been a prisoner in her own home for years, driven indoors by constant gunfire and explosive blasts coming from her neighbor’s property. According to Laroe, the situation began three years ago when her neighbor started regularly using high-caliber firearms and explosive targets, creating deafening booms at all hours of the day and night.
The impact has been severe. Laroe says she’s lost her sense of peace, her ability to enjoy her own yard, and even her hearing. She’s documented property damage, including a shattered windshield, and claims she’s faced intimidation after reporting the activity.
Despite repeated calls for help, Laroe says no meaningful action has been taken. Even when other neighbors filed complaints, cases were reportedly closed without resolution. It may be due to the fact that the alleged perpetrator of the harassment, Casey Wagner, is a Michigan Department of Corrections employee at Bellamy Creek in Ionia County.
What makes this case even more troubling is that officials like Rep. Gina Johnsen seem to know exactly what should be done. A township attorney previously confirmed that repeated explosive activity clearly violates local “breach of peace” ordinances under Michigan law. Yet enforcement has not followed.
Wagner was finally arrested and arraigned in February on charges including the possession of weapons and contraband allegedly stolen from a Michigan correctional facility, as well as possession of methamphetamine. This was after Wagner was repeatedly defended repeatedly by Rep. Johnson in various text messages.
Rep. Johnsen has clearly failed in her duty to protect constituents like Lois Laroe. Despite being fully aware of the situation, Johnsen has publicly downplayed concerns and, according to those close to the case, privately discouraged efforts to escalate the issue—reportedly warning that speaking out could “hurt gun rights.”
Populist Sentinel has obtained the text messages showing Rep. Johnsen’s callous indifference on the matter:
Additionally, a Michigan constituent of Rep. Johnson has reported that, after repeatedly reaching out to Johnsen seeking clarification on her public defense of Casey Wagner—a former Michigan Department of Corrections employee now facing criminal charges—he was warned by the Michigan House Sergeant-at-Arms that his continued attempts to contact her could potentially constitute a misdemeanor offense.
Let’s be clear: this is not about the Second Amendment. Responsible gun ownership is a cornerstone of American freedom. But reckless, dangerous behavior that harms neighbors and violates the law was not what the Founding Fathers wrote the 2nd Amendment to protect.
Rep. Johnsen has chosen political convenience over basic public safety. She uses the 2nd Amendment as a cloak for her own inaction, as she is concerned more about political advancement in her State Senate run after she infamously voted for Gretchen Whitmer’s massive, bloated, far-left budget deal after negotiating in smoke-filled backrooms.
Lois Laroe suffered for years, waiting for someone—anyone in authority—to step in and enforce the law. But Rep. Johnsen and others let Wagner continue his reign of terror unabated. If elected leaders won’t act to protect law-abiding citizens in situations like this, what exactly are they there for? This is the question that all those in Rep. Johnsen’s district, in particular, should be asking.
