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Ericka Byler with defense attorney Julie Springstead Waltz.
Holton woman sentenced to jail for her role in CSC case.
#OceanaCountyCrime
By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.
HART — A 31-year-old Holton woman was sentenced to serve six months up front of a nine-month discretionary jail term in 27th Circuit Court Monday, Dec. 4, for a conviction of accessory after the fact 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., pleaded “no contest” to accessory after the fact last October.
“Obviously your role in this is simply unacceptable, and I don’t expect you to appear in court for anything like this again,” said Judge Bradley G. Lambrix.
Byler, who was also sentenced to 18 months probation, received credit for 126 days served in jail.
“She has no prior record, so her guidelines are low,” said Bizon Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon. Her guidelines were 0-9 months.
Byler’s boyfriend, Daniel James Durbin, of the same address, has a significant criminal record, however.
Daniel Durbin, left, with his attorney Richard Prysock during an earlier circuit court hearing.
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.
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.
He is scheduled for a pretrial hearing in 27th Circuit Court, Dec. 18, at 9:30 a.m. His pretrial was adjourned Monday due to a scheduling conflict for his attorney, Richard Prysock, according to court staff.
Byler was initially 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 when she pleaded to the most serious charge.
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.
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