U.S. Attorney General Honors Three West Michigan Prosecutors

Alexis Sanford, Theodore Greeley, and Jeanne Long Received Awards for Successfully Prosecuting a Child Murder Case

GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey today announced that three prosecutors from the Western District of Michigan received the Director's Award for their work in successfully prosecuting Eugene Rantanen for the 2024 murder of his 19-month-old son, Carter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Alexis Sanford, Theodore Greeley, and Jeanne Long received the Director's Award for Superior Performance in Indian Country. The award recognizes exceptional contributions to the Department of Justice's efforts to create and enhance public safety in Indian Country. On October 28, 2026, at a ceremony held at the Justice Department's Great Hall in Washington D.C., Western District of Michigan prosecutors Alexis Sanford, Theodore Greeley, and Jeanne Long were each given a Director's Award for their efforts in the Rantanen case.

In February 2024, Eugene Rantanen was at home, alone with his 19-month-old son, Carter, at their residence in the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, located near the Keweenaw Bay area of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Rantanen had recently gained custody of the infant after having set aside the child's adoption by another family under the Indian Child Welfare Act. First responders were called when Carter began having seizures, and the child died after efforts to treat him were unsuccessful. The medical evidence demonstrated that Carter's death was caused by blunt force trauma to his head. Greeley, Sanford, and Long built a case against Rantanen and in 2025 successfully convinced a jury that he was guilty of child abuse and first degree murder. Rantanen is now serving a life sentence.

U.S. Attorney VerHey said, "We should all be proud of the work that these three prosecutors did here. The death of that little boy was devastating to his tribal community, and it was important that his killer received justice. I am not surprised at all that the Attorney General selected this case as an example of the best work we do."