After two days of testimony, the trial of two Brandon Township teens came to an end when the 13- and 15-year-old boys entered pleas of no contest to two counts each of criminal sexual conduct, third degree.
The boys, whose names are being withheld due to their age, pleaded no contest on May 2 in front of Sixth Circuit Court Judge Mary Ellen Brennan. When the trial began April 28, the boys were each charged with four counts of criminal sexual conduct, first degree, and suspect #1 (13-years-old) faced an additional charge of assault with intent to commit sexual penetration. Other charges were dropped last fall due to the inability of one of the victims to testify due to emotional trauma.
‘This is a satisfactory outcome considering the impact this case has had on all the young people involved,? said Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Detective Dale Brown. ‘We hope the victims and the responsibles get the help they need to move forward from this.?
According to police reports, on Aug. 21, 2010, two fathers filed a report at the Brandon substation regarding the sexual assault of three of their children, ages 7-, 9-, and 10-years-old, by the suspects, who were 13 and 14 at the time and were neighbors of the victims in the Sashabaw Meadows Mobile Home Park. The assaults began in September 2009.
Suspect #1 was a student at Brandon Middle School. Suspect #2 was an Oxford Middle School student.
During CARE House interviews with the victims, the 9-year-old disclosed repeated assaults by suspect #1, who is also his half-brother. The assaults occurred at their mother’s residence where the boys shared a room. The victim said that on multiple occasions, both suspect #1 and suspect #2 assaulted him.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office designated the case, meaning that upon adjudication of guilt, both suspects may be sentenced as adults. The judge could also choose to sentence one or both suspects as juveniles, or blend the sentences, using a combination of punishment both as juveniles and adults.
Sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m., July 14, in front of Judge Brennan.