On September 26, 2022, Bales pleaded no contest in the 52nd Circuit Court of Huron County as charged to Child Sexually Abusive Material, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000; Computers-Using to Commit a Crime, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000; and Children-Accosting for Immoral Purposes, a felony punishable by up to 4 years in prison and a fine of up to $4,000.
Prosecutor Timothy J. Rutkowski charged Dennis Michael Bales of Port Huron on August 18, 2022, with those three felony counts stemming from an operation initiated by the Huron County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the Sanilac and Tuscola County Sheriff’s Offices, the Sanilac County Drug Task Force and the Bad Axe Police Department, and with advisory assistance from two Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team members of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. According to a press release from Sheriff Kelly J. Hanson, the operation was conducted from an undisclosed location in Caseville Township, and utilized internet sex and prostitution sites. “The suspects would literally ‘shop’ these sites, then reach out believing they were communicating and arranging a meeting with an underage sex participant,” the release reads. “However, they were actually reaching out and communicating with our tri-county team. When [the suspect] arrived at the undisclosed location, young deputy sheriff decoys were utilized by being visible in order to satisfy suspicions and curiosities of the suspects. [The suspect] acknowledged wanting to have sex with an underage male.”
Sentencing is set for November 21, 2022, before the Hon. Gerald M. Prill.
“My Office will continue to work with law enforcement to ensure that our community is kept safe from those who participate in activities that are harmful, abusive, and predatory to our children.”
Prosecutor Timothy Rutkowski
Prosecutor Rutkowski would like to thank Sheriff Hanson and the Huron County Sheriff’s Office for leading this operation as well as the Sanilac and Tuscola County Sheriff’s Offices, the Sanilac County Drug Task Force and the Bad Axe Police Department for their invaluable assistance in resolving this case.
