Meth activist gains protection orders against harassment

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WAGNER — A Wagner resident who has voiced her concern about methamphetamine use in communities throughout the Yankton Sioux Reservation has seven protection orders against people she says have been harassing her and her family.

Frances Zephier and her husband have been speaking out against meth use since 2-year-old Rielee Lovell was found dead July 4 in the home of accused meth users Taylor and Laurie Cournoyer.

Zephier has protection orders against Joey Cournoyer, Kathy Cournoyer, Crystal Cournoyer, Antoinette Cournoyer, Nicholas Cournoyer, George Cournoyer Jr. and Wilfred Joseph.

The restraining orders are effective from Aug. 10 to Aug. 27 and protect Zephier, her two sons and her great-niece.

Zephier claims in court documents that she has been harassed on the street and stalked by several of her family members, who are all alleged meth users.

Specifically on Aug. 3, Zephier claims she was harassed by Kathy, Nicholas, Antoinette, Joey, Crystal and George Cournoyer, and Wilfred Joseph while being interviewed by television stations about the meth problem on the reservation.

“They surrounded us again to threaten and assault my person,” Zephier wrote in court documents. “This time the police were called immediately. Meth people are highly dangerous. They all scattered when the police came.”

She said the television reporters recorded the incident and are witnesses.

The protection orders are meant to prevent the Cournoyers and Joseph from harassing and threatening Zephier, her children and great-niece, including verbally, electronically, through digital media, mechanically, telegraphically or written communication. The order also is meant to restrain the offenders from causing any injury as a result of assault or crime of violence.

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