By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
CENTREVILLE — A Sturgis man was arrested Sunday on criminal sexual conduct charges that prosecutors allege stem from nine years of purported sexual abuse of his adoptive daughter.
According to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office, the 57-year-old, whose name is being withheld pending arraignment, is charged with multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct related to alleged incidents prosecutors claim span from 2016 to 2025. The charges involve allegations that the man sexually assaulted his adoptive daughter over that time span, beginning when she was just 6 years old.
Prosecutors claim the abuse continued until this past summer, when the victim, who is now 15, disclosed the alleged assaults to a trusted adult. Michigan State Police were then contacted and launched an investigation, while the child underwent a sexual assault nurse examination (SANE) that same day at a local hospital, according to prosecutors.
The results of the examination and evidence were recently received, according to prosecutors, which led to the case being submitted to the prosecutor’s office with a request for criminal charges against the man. The evidence, prosecutors claim, includes male DNA obtained from the victim’s body they claim are consistent with the allegations.
County Prosecutor Deborah Davis reminded residents in a statement that the man accused is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court, and urged the public to avoid “pre-judging” any individual that may be involved in the case.
“The well-being of the victim and the pursuit of justice are our primary concerns,” Davis said in a statement. “It is important to remember that all individuals are entitled to due process, but at the same time, we urge our community to support victims of abuse and to report any suspected incidents promptly so that law enforcement can act quickly and preserve evidence.”
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
