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Ericka Byler, left, with her attorney, Julie Springstead Waltz.
Woman pleads to ‘accessory after the fact’ in sex case involving children.
#OceanaCountyCrime
By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.
HART — A 31-year-old Holton woman pleaded “no contest” to accessory after the fact in 27th Circuit Court Monday, Oct. 9, for her involvement in a sex case in which children were allegedly victimized by her 34-year-old boyfriend.
Ericka Lee Byler, of 9260 S. 180th Ave., will be sentenced within the guidelines of 0-9 months, said Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon.
“She has no prior record, so her guidelines are low,” Bizon said.
Byler’s boyfriend, Daniel James Durbin, of the same address, has a significant criminal record, however.
The alleged sex crimes occurred in Greenwood Township near Hesperia during a time period of Aug. 1, 2016 to July 2, 2017, according to their court files.
Daniel Durbin
Both Durbin and Byler were arrested on felony warrants at their home by the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office, Sept. 1, court records state.
Durbin is charged with two felony counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC), each of which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison; two felony counts of accosting children for immoral purposes, each of which carry a four-year maximum; one felony count of committing gross indecency between a male and female, which is punishable by up to five years in prison; one high-court misdemeanor of fourth-degree CSC, which carries a two-year maximum; and third-offense habitual offender designation. His bail was set at $50,000/cash.
Byler was charged with a felony count of committing gross indecency between a male and female; two felony counts of accosting children for immoral purposes; bribing/intimidating witnesses, which is a four-year felony; and accessory to a felony after the fact, a five-year felony. The other four counts were dismissed Monday when she pleaded to the most serious charge. She remains lodged in the Oceana County Jail on a $25,000 cash bond.
According to the Offender Tracking Information System (OTIS), Durbin has served three previous prison terms. He was sentenced in 2004 in Ingham County to a three-year maximum sentence for malicious destruction of property to a building $1,000-$20,000. In 2010, he was sentenced in Oceana County to a maximum term of two years for a conviction of assault with a dangerous weapon. Durbin also served a one-year maximum sentence in 2015 for a conviction of maintaining a drug house in Isabella County.
Durbin has a pretrial in circuit court set for Oct. 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Byler’s sentencing is set for Dec. 4 at 8:15 a.m.
This story is copyrighted © 2017, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.
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