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Former Michigan Prison Officer Charged With Sex Crimes Against Inmates as AG Urges Law Change

Prosecutors say penetrative acts at the state’s women’s prison can only be charged as second-degree offenses because Michigan’s statutes lack explicit coverage.

Overview

  • Joshua Timothy Lee, 22, of Wyandotte, was arraigned Oct. 30 in Ypsilanti on four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a prisoner.
  • Prosecutors allege he engaged in multiple sexual acts involving penetration with several incarcerated women at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility.
  • Michigan State Police led the investigation, and the attorney general’s office announced the charges following that probe.
  • Each count carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years; Lee was released on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond and is due back in court Nov. 6.
  • Attorney General Dana Nessel is urging lawmakers to update first- and third-degree criminal sexual conduct statutes to explicitly cover penetration by corrections staff.