Recent Posts in Sex Crimes Category

A Saginaw County woman is behind bars for allowing a 67-year-old man to have sex with her 10-year-old granddaughter in exchange for cocaine.

Angela A. Blackwell, who is a cocaine addict, has since been charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and pandering. If she is convicted of the sex crime charges, she could be sentenced to at least 25 years in state prison.

Police are still searching for the man who had sex with the girl, who according to police had sex with her repeatedly from September until February. He faces first and second-degree sexual conduct charges, as well as firearms charges.

Charged with a Sex Crime in Oakland or Wayne County?

Sex crimes involving a child are always prosecuted aggressively, and are punishable by a number of serious penalties, including years in state prison, heavy fines, probation, possible restitution to the victim, and mandatory registration as a sex offender. If you have been accused of committing a sex crime against a child, you can protect your rights, freedom and reputation by contacting a Michigan criminal defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Freedman & Freedman. With over thirty years of legal experience, we have helped clients throughout both Wayne and Oakland Counties successfully fight their criminal charges.

To learn more about the defense services offered at our firm, please call (877) 858-5297 to arrange a consultation today!

The early stages of a child pornography case are underway as both sides are expected to wrap up a preliminary examination of the evidence around March 15.

The man at the center of the case is 53-year-old Richard Zorn of Taylor, who is facing 18 counts of child pornography and Internet crimes.

Zorn is currently being held in Wayne County Jail on $250,000 cash bond. He was arrested late last year after investigators received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Upon searching Zorn’s house, police found dozens of 8.5 x 11 inch pornographic images assembled in a collage that was attached to the paneling in the room. The images were all sexually suggestive, including some containing sexual images of children. Officers also found several computer disks with illegal pornography on them and other pornographic items throughout the house.

If Zorn is found guilty he will face harsh penalties, as a child pornography conviction can result in 20 years in prison and $100,000 in fines. Other penalties associated with child pornography include probation, community service, and mandatory registration as a sex offender.

At the Law Offices of Freedman& Freedman we are committed to helping those who’ve been accused of child pornography and other sex crimes. We understand the seriousness of your situation, and can offer you the experienced and dedicated defense you need when your rights, future, and freedom are on the line. If you are interested in learning more about our defense service, please contact the office today to arrange a consultation with a Michigan criminal defense lawyer!

Police in Oak Park are looking for a man police say robbed and sexually assaulted a woman in her home last week.  

According to police, the 61-year-old woman returned home around 9 p.m.   The suspect approached her near her car and forced her into her home.  The suspect ended up stealing money and the woman’s 2000 Toyota Avalon.

Police say the man did not use a weapon to force the woman into her home, and that he remained in the home with the woman for approximately thirty minutes.  Police also said they aren’t sure if the man followed the woman home or if he was already waiting outside of her house.

As soon as the man left the woman walked to her front door and called out for help. Police arrived shortly thereafter and the woman was taken to the hospital where she was treated and released.

According to an article in The Oakland Press, a Waterford Township woman who has been accused of sexually assaulting the now teenage son she gave up for adoption years ago has failed to appear in court.

Aimee Louise Sword was scheduled to appear at a preliminary examination last week, but never showed up.  Sword’s attorney, Kenneth Burch, told the judge that Sword said she was sick with a fever, but that he did not know where she was or if that was the reason she failed to appear in court.

Judge Phyllis McMillen of the 51^st District Court rescheduled the exam for January 13^th, and also plans to address Sword’s absence at that time.

Sword was arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual misconduct after she tracked down her biological son on the Internet, who is now a teenager, and had sex with him.

Dedicated Defense Against Sex Crime Accusations

At the Law Offices of Freedman & Freedman, we are committed to aggressively defending people throughout Wayne County and Oakland County who have been charged with sex crimes.  If you have been accused of committing a sex crime, it is imperative that you consult an experienced Michigan sex crimes defense attorney at our office who can aggressively defend you against the accusations and help increase your chances of successfully overcoming the charges.  Furthermore, if you are facing additional consequences for failing to appear in court when scheduled, we can defend you to the judge in an effort to help you avoid additional charges or penalties.

To learn more about the dedicated criminal defense services offered at our firm, please fill out a free case evaluation or contact the office today by calling (877) 858-5297!

Police in Melvindale are cracking down on sex offenders to ensure they are in compliance with sex offender registration laws.  Any sex offenders found not in compliance with the law will face additional charges, as police are operating under a zero-tolerance policy.

All sex offenders are required to register their address with local law enforcement agents, and must notify law enforcement when they move or change residences.  There are 24 registered sex offenders in the city of Melvindale, and any offender who has moved without notifying the police, or who has failed to register altogether will face felony charges. The police will also be checking to ensure the offenders are in compliance with any other orders the judge issued, such as not living within a certain distance of school, not coming into contact with children, etc.

As a result of the checks, police discovered that three of the city’s sex offenders have moved without notifying the police. Felony arrest warrants have been issued.

The latest “sexting” story to hit headlines involves an Oakland County middle school teacher charged with sending inappropriate texts to a 14-year-old student.

Michelle Simonson, a 7^th grade teacher at Sashabaw Middle School in Clarkston, pleaded guilty to enticing children for immoral purposes and distributing obscene matter to children.

An Oakland County Circuit Court Judge has sentenced her to 90 days in jail.  She was also sentenced to 5 years probation, must pay fines and court costs, must register as a sex offender, and cannot have any contact with the victim.  She must also complete sex offender treatment.

Simonson’s teaching certificate has since been revoked and nullified by the Michigan Department of Education.

Simonson, who worked as a special education teacher at the school, was accused of sending inappropriate text messages to a cognitively impaired boy.  Simonson exchanged approximately 50 text messages with the student, which became more and more sexual.  She also sent a nude picture of herself.

According the article from the Oakland Press, Simonson and the student never had physical contact, and never spoke to each other in person or on the telephone—all of their communication was strictly through text messaging.

Officials were notified about the exchange after the student’s foster parent brought the photo and text messages to the attention of deputies at the Independence Township substation in June.

Articles about sexting between teenagers have been popping up left and right, however this is one of the first cases involving sexting between a teacher and a student.

Sexting is a term used to describe sexually suggestive messages or pictures sent through text messaging.

If you are facing criminal charges for sexting in Oakland County or Wayne County, it is important to contact an experienced Michigan criminal defense attorney at Freedman & Freedman today!  The last thing you want is a sex crimes conviction on your record or to have to register as a sex offender.

Contact the Law Offices of Freedman & Freedman today!

Lawmakers in Michigan want to increase the penalties for those convicted of child sexual abuse, in particular those who have been charged with a child pornography related crime.

The proposed legislation would toughen the sentencing guidelines of those convicted of child pornography.  The more images found stored on a computer, the longer the jail or prison sentence.

According to Children’s Protective Services of the Michigan Department of Human Services, there were almost 29,640 cases of child abuse or neglect between October 1, 2007 and September 20, 2008.  This indicates a 4.6 percent increase from the year before.  Furthermore, the Michigan Children’s Fund said it received more than 337 child abuse or neglect complaints EVERY DAY in 2008.

Another study by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found that 40 percent of those arrested for child pornography had not only possessed child pornography, but had also sexually victimized the child, making them a dual offender.

The bill is pending in the House Judiciary Committee.