Assistant Oakland County Prosecutor Cheryl Matthews, Section leader of the Child Sexual Assault Division, has announced that she is a candidate for Oakland County Circuit Court.
Offering unparalleled experience, Matthews has earned a reputation as a tough, but fair prosecutor who works tirelessly to put felons behind bars. Matthews, of Sylvan Lake, is recognized as a proven protector of families and children in Oakland County. She promises to make that passion a cornerstone of her campaign.
“I have been committed to protecting the rights of victims in child sexual assault cases, and intend to bring that passion for children and families to serving the citizens of Oakland County as their next family court judge,” Matthews continued.
Matthews has prosecuted some of the most difficult and horrific cases of violence and assault in Oakland County, such as the Wixom plant murder in 1997, the Djoumessi slavery/sexual abuse case in 2001 and the most recent case of an Oxford man who employed satanic rituals to lure young boys into sexual encounters.
“I believe that may countless hours dealing with victims of these tragic cases will help me be an outstanding advocate for the children and families in our county,” said Matthews.
Matthews has already been officially endorsed by some of the county and state’s top crime-fighting officials. They include Oakland County Prosecutor David Gorcyca, the Police Officers Association of Michigan and the Michigan Association of Police.
Other endorsements Matthews has received have come from top police officials in six county communities. They are Chiefs of Police John Dean of Waterford, William Dwyer of Farmington Hills, David Niedermeier of Hazel Park, Ronald Cronin of West Bloomfield Township, Richard Hummel of Sylvan Lake and Kevin Sagan of Madison Heights.
Matthews is a graduate of the University of Michigan, and Fordham University School of Law. She joined the Oakland County Prosecutors Office in 1991 and has served as the Leader of the Child Sexual Assault Division since 1997. Prior to joining the Prosecutor’s Office, she was an associate at the corporate law firm of Chadbourne & Parke in New York City. Matthews is admitted to practice law in Michigan, New York and the United States Supreme Court.
Since 1997, she has been appointed member of the Governor’s Task Force on Children’s Justice and has served as a board member of the Child Abuse and Neglect Council since 1997.