Gary McDonald, a 55-year-old resident of Elkhart, Indiana, was recently arrested in Michigan on charges that he molested a number of young girls, all under the age of 10.
According to police reports, the allegations of sexual abuse all stem from incidents that took place in Indiana, which is why the Elkhart Police had a warrant out for McDonald’s arrest. But McDonald apparently attempted to evade capture by fleeing the state and coming to Michigan. Police in his hometown were given a tip that he may have tried to relocate to Michigan, and they passed along the word. As a result, McDonald was caught at 10:30 pm by deputies from the Cass County Sheriff’s Department.
According to court records, McDonald is accused of molesting a number of young girls. One alleged victim claims that McDonald gave her a “blue pill” which made her go to sleep and feel funny when she woke up later. Independent investigation revealed that McDonald was in possession of Xanax at the time.
Another 9-year-old alleged victim claimed that McDonald touched both her and her friend in their “bad spots” while he was looking after them. A third claimed that she had been staying at McDonald’s home at the age of 8, and had had woken up to find him touching her inappropriately, while a fourth, aged 6, claimed to have climbed into bed with McDonald and a family member, only to be touched in an inappropriate way.
McDonald has already been transferred to the Elkhart County Jail and will be facing all of the charges in the Indiana Court system. It is now up to the justice system to determine whether or not McDonald is guilty or innocent of the accused crimes. Similar to all other states, these types of charges are very serious in Michigan as well. Anyone accused of molesting or sexually assaulting a child in Michigan may find themselves charged with a felony or multiple felonies, and facing the possibility of decades or even life in prison.
In addition, anyone in Michigan who is convicted of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, or any other form of sex crime, will be placed on the Statewide Sex Offender Registry. This makes it exceedingly difficult to get a good job in the future, and can have a very negative impact on how other people in your family and community treat you. In addition, if the alleged victim is a child, you could be placed on the Central Registry by CPS.
If you have been accused of any kind of child abuse, whether it is sexual abuse, physical abuse, or neglect, you are going to need a skilled defense attorney on your side. Someone with years of experience and a long line of satisfied customers in their wake. If you or a loved one are facing allegations of child abuse, contact us immediately. We can help you.