July 25, 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Prosecutor Tim Rutkowski, 989.269.9255
On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, Dale Joseph Ignash, 71, of Filion, pleaded guilty to:
- Child Sexually Abusive Material, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison;
- Computers-Using to Commit a Crime, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison; and,
- Children-Accosting for Immoral Purposes, a felony punishable by up to 4 years in prison.
Ignash was arrested during a Human Trafficking Task Force sting 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. Members of the Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team (GHOST), a division of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, also provided assistance.
On August 17, 2022, Ignash was texting and/or on-line chatting with whom he believed was a 15-year-old minor, trying to initiate having sex with that person. In actuality he was texting with an undercover officer. When Ignash arrived at the location where he believed the minor was located, law enforcement officers promptly arrested him. In addition to the officers’ observations, the text messages sent between the defendant and the undercover officer provided important evidence of their intent to have sex with a 15-year-old minor.
The following day, Prosecutor Timothy Rutkowski charged Ignash with the three felony offenses to which he ultimately pleaded guilty. Ignash will be sentenced for his crimes on September 25, 2023 at 9:00 a.m., before the Hon. Gerald M. Prill.
Prosecutor Rutkowski thanks 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 Bad Axe Police Department, and the GHOST team members for their invaluable assistance in resolving this case.
