BATTLE CREEK, MI — In a development that critics are calling a blatant act of intimidation, investigative journalist Autumn Smith was intercepted and cited by a Calhoun County Sheriff’s deputy today—a deputy with deep, personal ties to the very subject of Smith’s most recent and explosive investigation.
The citation was issued just moments after Smith left the Michigan State Police (MSP) post, where she had been inquiring about the status of a criminal investigation into Kris Douponce. Douponce, a former MSP Detective, has been the primary focus of Smith’s reporting at FAFO Justice.
Her investigation alleges that Douponce has been operating a multi-jurisdictional sextortion ring leveraged through his business, KVD Property Management.
The “Kris” “Coincidence”
The deputy who initiated the stop, identified as B. Weberling (Badge #22273), issued a citation for allegedly “operating a vehicle while reading/typing/sending text.”
However, the timing and the history of the officer involved have raised immediate red flags.
Investigation into Deputy Weberling reveals a startling connection: he is reportedly a personal friend of Kris Douponce. Even more troubling, sources indicate that Weberling allegedly was the specific officer previously tasked with investigating the “toxic substance” incident involving Douponce’s former partner. In that case, an unknown foreign substance was placed in a coffee pot—an investigation that many felt was handled with suspicious leniency. Video of that incident was released exclusively to FAFO Justice and can be seen HERE
Harassment or Procedure?
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The optics of the stop are difficult to ignore. Smith was reportedly trailed immediately after leaving her meeting with State Police.
Is this a coincidence? Or is this a coordinated effort to silence a journalist who is getting too close to the truth?
When a reporter investigating a former cop for racketeering and sextortion is suddenly pulled over by that cop’s close associate, it’s not just a traffic stop—it’s a message.”
The citation requires an appearance at the 10th District Court in Battle Creek within 10 days.
Smith’s work has been instrumental in bringing victims forward, despite what she describes as a “wall of silence” within local agencies. This latest incident adds a chilling new chapter to the saga. Whether this was a routine traffic enforcement or a calculated act of retaliation by a “thin blue line” protecting its own, the eyes of the public are now firmly on Calhoun County.
Stay tuned to FAFOJustice.com as this story continues to unfold. We are committed to following the evidence, no matter where—or to whom—it leads.
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