FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Prosecutor Tim Rutkowski, 989.269.9255
Late Wednesday afternoon a Huron County jury of eight men and four women deliberated for less than an hour before finding Corey Arthur-Clair Kessler, 47, of Caseville guilty of ten counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC) in the 1st Degree and guilty of ten counts of CSC in the 2nd Degree. The maximum sentence for the CSC 1st Degree charges is life in prison. The ten counts of CSC 1st also included enhancement language that set the minimum amount of incarceration at 25 years in prison.
On May 24, 2023, the victim in the case went through a Child Advocacy Center interview. During the interview she disclosed that her biological father, Corey Kessler, had intercourse with her and that he sexually touched her, starting when she was 4 years old and continuing until she was 10.
The defendant was initially charged with one count of CSC 1st Degree and two counts of CSC 2nd. At the preliminary examination, the victim testified that the penetration (CSC 1st) happened more than 50 times and the sexual touching (CSC 2nd) also happened more than 50 times. Based on that testimony, Judge David Herrington, 73B District Court Judge, bound the defendant over on 10 Counts of CSC 1st and 10 counts of CSC 2nd for trial in Circuit Court.
During the Trial
A jury trial was held on July 23rd and 24th before the Honorable James T. Borchard, a retired visiting judge. Prosecuting Attorney Timothy Rutkowski called three witnesses for the People. It was an emotionally charged courtroom after the victim testified about the significant number of sexual assaults she suffered while living in the defendant’s home. As she testified: “I cannot tell you about every single time [she was sexually assaulted] because it happened so often. … After a while, it was something that was part of my life – it became routine.” She also testified that “My whole life he [the defendant] told me that nobody was going to believe me” about the sexual assaults. The victim’s mother and Detective Ford, Huron County Sherriff’s Department also testified.
The defense called two witnesses, the Defendant and his son. The defendant testified that the charges against him were false. The jury disagreed, believing the victim, and finding him guilty as charged. After hearing the verdict, the Court revoked Defendant’s bond and remanded him to the Huron County Jail.
After the trial, Prosecuting Rutkowski stated:
The victim displayed great courage in testifying about all these horrific events that she experienced as a child. The strength of the victim during this entire case should be an example to all other victims of sexual assaults.
Judge Borchard scheduled sentencing for Kessler on Monday, September 30, 2024, at 9 a.m.
