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Mallard appears in 27th Circuit Court from the Oceana County Jail via Zoom video conferencing.
Man faces 10-15 years in prison after pleading guilty to 3rd-degree CSC.
By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.
HART — A 23-year-old Muskegon man faces serving a 10-15 year prison term after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) in 27th Circuit Court Monday, July 12.
Robert Iree Mallard is one of four Muskegon men facing CSC charges in connection to a child trafficking investigation conducted by a multi-jurisdictional task force including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) last summer.
Mallard appeared for a pretrial hearing in 27th Circuit Court via Zoom video conferencing due to COVID-19 precautions from the Oceana County Jail. He initially faced one count of first-degree CSC, which will be dismissed in exchange for his plea to the lesser charge.
Judge Robert D. Springstead asked Mallard if between the time frame of April 1, 2020 and July 23, 2020 if he was engaged in the sexual penetration of a child between the ages of 13 and 15 in New Era? Mallard admitted that he was.
“Was it once or multiple times?” the judge asked. “Once, Sir,” he answered.
“How did you know this girl?” Judge Springstead asked. “We were friends, Sir,” Mallard answered.
The maximum penalty for third-degree CSC is 15 years in prison, and first-degree CSC is punishable by up to life in prison.
Attorney Ryan Good was prepared to go to trial and said Mallard had “a change of heart.”
“I took this plea because I want to get out faster because I just had a newborn daughter,” said Mallard.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 20 at 10:20 a.m.
McKinney
Also facing felony charges in connection to the case is Dwight Bernard McKinney, 18, who faces three counts of first-degree CSC.
Jermaine Lamar Chapman, 25, faces a first-degree CSC charge and two charges of second-degree CSC in Muskegon County in the connection to the case. He is lodged in the Muskegon County Jail on a $1.5 million cash/surety bond, according to jail records. He is scheduled to appear in Muskegon County’s 14th Circuit Court Monday, July 19. Quonteravious Moffett, 20, of Muskegon faces one count of third-degree CSC and is lodged in the Muskegon County Jail on a $250,000 bond, according to
Chapman
jail records.
The massive investigation began July 23, 2020 at 6:30 a.m. when an Oceana County sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to a Grant Township residence, Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast previously said.
The girl’s father saw what appeared to be a man’s legs in his daughter’s bed. The male ran from the residence, and the dad called police. That incident prompted an investigation that the girl was sexually assaulted by several men. Evidence was uncovered indicating that the men would sneak out through the bedroom window and give the girl alcohol and drugs while sexually assaulting her. Evidence also indicated that the girl would sneak out of the house through her bedroom window and leave with the men. The girl was allegedly threatened if she told anyone, police said, because there were videos she wouldn’t want anyone to see.
Moffett
“The investigation overturned substantial amounts of evidence implicating the suspects,” said Sheriff Mast previously. “The investigation snowballed.”
A task force involving both sheriff’s offices from Oceana and Muskegon counties, the Michigan State Police and the FBI were involved.
Mallard remains lodged in the Oceana County Jail. McKinney was released from jail after posting a $75,000/cash/surety bond.
The male who fled the home when startled by the father was a 16-year-old who was not accused of any crimes.
The girl met one of the suspects through social media.
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