Matthew Mark Taylor, 30, of Sumpter Township has been bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court for two separate cases of stealing catalytic converters from parked vehicles at night in Romulus and Van Buren Township in 2019 and 2020.
This was after two preliminary exams held before 34th District Court Judge Lisa Martin on June 26.
There were two more preliminary exams for Tyler before Judge Martin on June 26 with more charges of stealing catalytic converters in Romulus in 2019, but those two were dismissed because the Romulus officer called as a witness and listed as the officer in one charge didn’t know anything about that case and left before the Oct. 25, 2019 case was called, so the prosecutor couldn’t proceed.
The court action against Taylor began before previous district court Judge David Parrott and victims Keith and Kurt Johnston were in the courtroom ready to testify. Judge Parrott announced that he knew and worked with the Johnstons, so he recused himself and the case was adjourned for another judge. But the two other judges at 34th District Court at the time, Judges Brian Oakley and Tina Brooks Green, also knew the Johnstons and recused themselves.
An outside judge was brought in from Monroe and the case languished during COVID.
Most recently, Taylor was scheduled for his probable cause conferences on Feb. 28 before Judge Lisa Martin, who replaced Judge Parrott on the bench and did not need to recuse herself because she had no relationship with the Johnstons. The cases had been adjourned from Jan. 17.
Taylor’s most recent defense attorney Rebecca Tieppo was assigned to the cases last October and said she was seeking a global resolution. She said she needed time to work with the prosecutor and Judge Martin adjourned the probable cause conferences until Feb. 28 and said the driving while license suspended misdemeanor continued with the felony cases.
Judge Martin noted on Feb. 28 that Taylor had been waiting for his four cases for several hours on zoom before his attorney was present and the case could be called. By that time, he was no longer present. The attorney was allowed to waive his presence and Judge Martin scheduled all four cases at one time for a preliminary exam on April 3 at 1:30 p.m.
But on April 3, he was present in person and the attorney was not present. When she got there at 2:24 p.m., she said several files just came and she had to review them. The exam was reset to 12:30 p.m., June 26.
Judge Martin noted April 3 that the victims waiting to testify in the case were present in the courtroom and had been there several times before in the past waiting for action on the 2019 and 2020 cases.
In a twist on June 26, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Mohamed A. Mohamed, tried to have Keith Johnston testify by zoom for one case and Johnston said by zoom that he had not been subpoenaed. Mohamed said Johnston had been in court three times in the past to testify but the cases were adjourned.
Defense attorney Tieppo objected to Johnston not being present and defendant Taylor complained at length at not being able to face his accuser. Judge Martin said all the cases predated her and she decided to ask Johnston to log off from zoom and they would continue without him.
His twin brother Kurt Johnston testified and that case was bound over to circuit court.
In one case, witness Gabriel Gauirl estimated Taylor had stolen 30 catalytic converters in his spree, including some from 7850 Haggerty Rd. behind a company warehouse.
Romulus Detective/Sergeant Jason Otter said he interviewed the defendant a day after Taylor had been apprehended after running from the Johnston Leasing site. He said the defendant admitted to drinking vodka and snorting cocaine before the incident.
Det./Sgt. Otter said Tyler told him he was bowling with his girlfriend in Garden City and he told her he was going to steal catalytic converters from a location he knew from a tow job when he took a car to the Johnston location. Det./Sgt. Otter said Tyler told him the number of catalytic converters he has stolen is too many to count.
Taylor’s pretrial on driving while license suspended on April 20, 2023 was set for a remote pretrial by zoom on July 18.
Devin Michael Beach
On June 26 after a preliminary exam, Devin Michael Beach, 27, of Sumpter Township was bound over to Wayne County Circuit Court for a July 3 arraignment on the information on charges of breaking and entering and larceny in a building on Dec. 16 in Sumpter Township.
Also on June 26, preliminary exams were scheduled for Aug. 14 for three other charges involving possession of methanphetemines, carrying concealed weapons, and driving while license suspended in Sumpter Township and Van Buren Township in 2023 and 2024.
Kenneth Edson Hurst
Kenneth Edson Hurst, 42, of Van Buren Township, had his arraignment/pretrial on May 29 on charges of gun possession while intoxicated and reckless use of a gun on Jan. 1 in Van Buren Township. Personal bond is $1,000. His pretrial was set for June 5 and that was adjourned. His probable cause conference was set for June 22 adjourned to June 26.
A final pretrial was set for July 10 and the victim must appear.
Steven Waynepatrick Hughes
Steven Waynepatrick Hughes, 43, of Van Buren Township, was video-arraigned by Magistrate Hindsman while in police custody on May 23 on a charge of domestic violence on March 31 in Van Buren Township. A pretrial was set for June 5 and personal bond is $5,000. The defendant is to have no contact with the complainant and must not return to the address of the offense. On June 5 the final pretrial was set for June 26. At that time the victim dismissed the charge and the case was closed.
Procopio Vitale
Procopio Vitale, 44, of Monroe was present by zoom on May 29 from the Washtenaw County Jail on two separate charges of possession of methamphetamine/ecstacy on April 19, 2023 and Nov. 10, 2022. He waived the exam on the April 19, 2023 charge brought by Western Wayne Narcotics and was bound over to circuit court for a June 5 arraignment on the information.
His probable cause conference was set for June 12 on the Nov. 10, 2022 charge brought by Van Buren Township Police.
It was said he will be in the Washtenaw County Jail until November. His probable cause conference was set for June 26. On that date he failed to appear and a warrant was signed for his arrest.
Ryan Anthony Broten
The preliminary exam was held Dec. 14, 2022 for Ryan Anthony Broten, 35, of Van Buren Township on charges of assault to do great bodily harm less than murder and domestic violence third offense notice on March 20, 2022 in Van Buren Township.
Judge Martin bound Broten over for trial at circuit court with his arraignment on the information set for Dec. 28, 2022 and delayed until Jan. 23, 2023. Bond was continued at $10,000 personal and the personal protection order was canceled. A disposition conference was set for Feb. 8 and a calendar conference for March 13 and final conference set for May 8. He pled guilty to domestic violence and the other charge was dismissed. Sentencing was to be June 28, 2023 and then adjourned to Aug. 25. On Aug. 25, 2023 he failed to appear and a warrant was put out for his arrest.
Tommy Joseph-Dean Carroll
Tommy Joseph-Dean Carroll of Van Buren Township was charged with assault or assault and battery on Oct. 15, 2022 in Van Buren Township. He was scheduled for his remote arraignment/pretrial on Nov. 9, 2022 but he failed to appear so a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Randall Scott Bond
Randall Scott Bond of Milan was arraigned on a bench warrant on Nov. 14, 2022 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine/ecstasy on July 19, 2022 in Van Buren Township. His probable cause conference was set for Nov. 23, 2022 and then Nov. 30. His personal bond was $3,000.
On Nov. 30, he pled guilty to a reduced charge of use of a controlled substance. Judge Oakley referred him to the probation department for a recommendation before sentencing. The case was scheduled for review on Dec. 19 and then scheduled for review on Jan. 17. The defendant needs to call the court for sentencing. The case was scheduled for review on Feb. 21, 2023 and a message was left for him to contact the court. Another message was left on March 14, 2023. A show-cause hearing was set for May 9, 2023. He failed to appear and a warrant was issued.
James Bryant Lyle
James Bryant Lyle, 43, of Ypsilanti was charged with home invasion-first degree, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, and domestic violence on Oct. 20, 2022 in Van Buren Township. Personal bond of $25,000 was set at his arraignment. At the defendant’s probable cause conference on Nov. 16, 2022 defense attorney James Parker said he still needed discovery. The probable cause conference was adjourned until Dec. 14, but Lyle failed to appear and a bench warrant was issued.
On Feb. 7, 2023 proof of incarceration was furnished. He was in the Washtenaw County Jail. A probable cause conference was set for Feb. 22, 2023. On that date the warrant was canceled. He is still in Washtenaw County. He requested a different attorney and so the probable cause conference was reset for March 1, 2023.
At that time his live preliminary exam was scheduled for April 5, 2023 and he was bound over to circuit court for an April 12 arraignment on the information. A calendar conference was set for May 8 and reset to May 15 and then to May 31. A pretrial was set for June 15 and continued to June 30, and then for July 21 and then July 31. A jury trial was then set for Jan. 16, 2024. It was canceled after he pled guilty to home invasion-third degree and other charges were dismissed.
He was fined $398 and a term of one to five years in state prison, where he was already serving time on violation of probation.
Jacob Alan Halfacre
Jacob Alan Halfacre, 34, of Ann Arbor is charged with domestic violence on Sept. 20, 2021 in Sumpter Township and domestic violence and assault & battery on March 20, 2022, also in Sumpter Township at the same address.
His remote pretrial on the first charge was set for Nov. 23, 2022 as was the remote pretrial on the second charges. His bond was $10,000 personal for each of the two cases. He is said to be living in a homeless shelter and is not to return to his previous address on Karr Road.
After a failure to appear at court a bench warrant was signed for his arrest.
Jessica Ann Evans
Jessica Ann Evans, 36, of Van Buren Township was arraigned on Nov. 23 for domestic violence on Nov. 22 in Van Buren Township. Her pretrial was set for Dec. 7 and her bond set at $2,000/10%. She is not to return to her home on East Huron River Drive.
On Dec. 7, the charge was dismissed by the victim.
Michael Philip Smith
Michael Philip Smith, 49, of Canton, was arraigned Dec. 1, 2022 on bench warrant charges on two cases. One case – receiving and concealing stolen property worth between $1,000 and $20,000 and larceny between $1,000 and $20,000 – was on Aug. 9, 2020 in Van Buren Township. Bond was set at $10,000/10% and a probable cause conference set for Dec. 14 and then adjourned until Dec. 28. He is ordered not to return to 42040 Ecorse or have any contact with the victim.
The second case occurred on Sept. 3, 2020 in Belleville. The charges are breaking and entering a building with intent and larceny between $1,000 and $20,000. The court was advised his name is now Michael Lloyd Smith. Bond was set at $10,000/10% on this case, as well, and the probable cause conference was set for Dec. 14 and then adjourned until Dec. 28. On Dec. 28, 2022 his preliminary exams on both cases were set for Feb. 8, 2023. He failed to appear for both cases and after a wait of 48 hours a warrant was signed for his arrest. On Feb. 28 a show-cause hearing on bond was set for March 15. He failed to appear, bond was forfeited, and a warrant was still in place for his arrest. It was noted that Smith has a third case with similar charges pending in Flat Rock.
On Jan. 18, 2024 he was video-arraigned while in custody with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department by Magistrate Al Hindman on the Belleville and Van Buren charges.
Magistrate Hindman set Smith’s probable cause conferences for Jan. 31 on all the charges and set personal bond at $5,000. The defendant paid $1,000 to get his bond reinstated. He is scheduled to begin in-patient substance abuse treatment at Lake Bridge upon release and he must enter into the program.
His probable cause conferences were reset for Feb. 7 and then his live preliminary exams reset for March 20, when he failed to appear. A bench warrant was issued. A show-cause hearing was set for April 24, but he failed to appear so a warrant remains.
Arrieon Marquise Browning
Arrieon Marquise Browning, 26, of Ypsilanti was arraigned while in custody Jan. 23, 2023 on charges of possession of a controlled substance, felony firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon on Jan. 20 in Van Buren Township. Bond was set at $5,000/10% and a probable cause conference was scheduled for Feb. 1 and then adjourned to Feb. 15. At that time, the live preliminary exam was set for March 29. On that date, Browning waived his preliminary exam and Judge Martin bound him over to circuit court for an April 12 arraignment on the information. A calendar conference was set for May 17 and he failed to appear so a bench warrant was signed for his arrest. On May 24 he was arraigned on his failure to appear and his calendar conference set for June 8 and reset to June 9 and continued to July 14. Arraignment on failure to appear was July 25. On July 25, 2023 he pled guilty to possession of a controlled substance and carrying a concealed weapon. The felony firearm charge was dismissed. Sentencing was set for Sept. 14, 2023 but he failed to appear and so a bench warrant was issued.
Trevor Christopher Stanberry
Trevor Christopher Stanberry, 38, of Van Buren Township, is charged with violation of registration/plate, driving while license suspended, and no insurance on Jan. 26, 2023 in the city of Belleville. A notice to appear on Feb. 22 for his arraignment / pretrial was generated. A show cause hearing was set for March 29.
He also was charged with open intoxicant in a vehicle at 11:20 a.m., Dec. 31, 2022 in the city of Belleville. He failed to appear for his Feb. 16 court session so a show cause hearing was set for March 16. He failed to appear so a bench warrant was signed.
He failed to appear for his March 29 court session and it was noted a warrant was already out for his arrest.
An arraignment on all charges was held July 25 while he was in custody. A pretrial was held July 25 and then set for Aug. 9. The plate/registration violation and no insurance counts were dismissed by the party and he pled guilty to a reduced charge of allowing unlicensed driver to drive and was fined $600. A pretrial on the open intoxicant in a vehicle charge was set for Aug. 10. A remote pretrial was then set for Sept. 21, but he failed to appear. A bench warrant was issued on Oct. 2. On Oct. 27 he was in custody at Van Buren Township and his arraignment/pretrial was set for Nov. 16, but he did not appear. Warrant signed.
Sarah Ann Poirier
Sarah Ann Poirier, 36, of Sumpter Township was cited on Jan. 3, 2023 at 10:36 p.m. for having no insurance in the city of Belleville. She failed to appear for her remote arraignment/pretrial on Jan. 6, so she was set for a show-cause hearing on March 1. She failed to appear so a bench warrant was issued. On Sept. 6 she posted bond of $5,000/10%. A remote show cause/pretrial was set for Oct. 4 and then changed to Oct. 16. She failed to appear and a bench warrant was issued. A show cause/arraignment/pretrial was set for Nov. 22 and she failed to appear.
On Dec. 12 she called and asked for a new court date and it was set for Jan. 10 and then reset for Jan. 31 for a show-cause hearing. She failed to appear and a warrant was issued.
Fred Davis, Jr.
Fred Davis, Jr., 55, of Ypsilanti, was arraigned by video on March 23, 2023 on three cases while in custody at the Van Buren Township Police Department. Judge Martin set April 5 and 6 court dates to handle the three.
He is charged with receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle and possessing stolen property between $1,000 and $20,000 on March 21 in Van Buren Township. Personal bond set at $5,000. Probable cause conference set for April 5.
He also is charged with first degree retail fraud and assaulting a police officer on July 26, 2020 in Van Buren Township. Personal bond set at $5,000 and he is not to return to CVS on Belleville Road. Pretrial set for April 5, 2023.
On April 5 he failed to appear at court and so on April 10 a bench warrant was signed for his arrest.
He also was arraigned on a bench warrant on March 23 for failure to appear in court for possession of narcotics paraphernalia on Aug. 17, 2018 in Van Buren Township. Personal bond set at $5,000. Pretrial was set for April 6.
On April 6, he pled guilty to a charge of retail fraud on March 11 in Van Buren Township and was sentenced to 30 days and was given credit for time served in jail.
On Aug. 3 Magistrate Al Hindman video-arraigned him while in custody on two new charges of first-degree retail fraud on March 5 and March 9 in Van Buren Township. A probable cause conference was set for Aug. 16. Bond was set at $25,000/10% and he is not to go in, around, or near any Meijer store. He is labeled as a habitual offender with a fourth-offence notice. On Aug. 16, he failed to appear and a warrant was issued.
On Aug 3, he also was arraigned on a bench warrant for failure to appear for a court date on the charge of possession of paraphernalia in 2018. His pretrial was set for Sept. 7 and he was instructed to bring in proof that he was incarcerated when he was supposed to be in court. He failed to appear Sept. 7 and a bench warrant was issued.
Shaniah Tarie Coleman
Shaniah Tarie Coleman, 23, of Westland was due for a zoom hearing and two remote arraignments and pretrials on March 22, 2023 but she failed to appear. She is cited for registration/plate violation, no insurance, and driving while license suspended on Feb. 28, 2023 in the city of Belleville. She failed to appear, so the first violation was put in default and show cause hearings were set for April 12 on the other charges. The notice to appear was returned by the post office as unable to deliver. On April 18, 2023 a bench warrant was signed for her arrest.
Alonzo Lee Jones-Hollie
Alonzo Lee Jones-Hollie, 22, of Sumpter Township, failed to appear for his remote show-cause/arraignment pretrial on March 29, 2023 so his $5,000/10% bond was forfeited. He is charged with driving while license suspended on April 7, 2021 in Van Buren Township and a warrant is out for his arrest. He also was cited on March 24 for limited access speeding, 16-25 mph over in Romulus and a total fine of $180 was levied.
He was scheduled for an arraignment/pretrial by zoom on Feb. 8 for a new charge of driving while license suspended on Jan. 10 in Sumpter Township. He failed to appear and a show cause hearing was set for March 14, 2024. He failed to appear on that date and a warrant was signed.
He was also charged with driving while license suspended in Sumpter Township on March 16 and a remote arraignment/pretrial was set for April 11 and he failed to appear. A show cause / arraignment was set for May 9, but the post office was unable to deliver his notice. A warrant was issued.
Douglas Alphonse Wilson Boggess
Douglas Alphonse Wilson Boggess, 22, of the city of Belleville, was scheduled for his arraignment/pretrial April 12, 2023 on charges of disorderly drunk and furnishing false information to police at 12:52 a.m. March 18, 2023 during a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the city of Belleville. He failed to appear for his court date and the post office said a court notice was undeliverable. A show-cause hearing was set for May 17, 2023 and he failed to appear. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
Kuame Demon Scott
Kuame Demon Scott, 27, of Sumpter Township and formerly of Ypsilanti, is charged with fleeing a police officer, possession of ammunition by a felon, and driving while license suspended on March 1, 2023 in Sumpter Township. He was present for his probable cause conference on March 15 and a live preliminary exam was set for April 26. It was held and the possession of ammunition by a felon charge was dismissed. On the other two charges, he was bound over to circuit court for a May 10 arraignment on the information. Calendar conference was May 15. Final conference was June 26 and then the final conference was reset for July 7, along with a motion hearing. A jury trial was set for Nov. 3 and then rescheduled for Feb. 5, 2024. That was canceled when he pled guilty on Jan. 22, 2024 to driving while license suspended and the fleeing a police officer charge was dismissed. He was committed to the Wayne County Jail and fined a total of $228.
Henry James Ford
Henry James Ford of Detroit waived his preliminary exam before Judge Martin on May 3, 2023 on a charge of larceny from a motor vehicle on Jan. 26, 2023 in Van Buren Township. His arraignment on the information in circuit court was May 10 and he cannot return to Menards. A calendar conference was set for July 27. Disposition conference was Aug. 25. He was serving 93 days in the Monroe County Jail. Personal bond is $25,000. Calendar conference was set for Nov. 15 and reset to Dec. 7. Final conference was Feb. 5, adjourned to March 4, when he pled guilty to the charge. Sentencing was April 26, adjourned to May 13. He was fined $1,598 and put on probation for three years.
Dale Edward Schmidt
Dale Edward Schmidt, 51, of New Boston was arraigned May 10, 2023 for operating while intoxicated-third on March 29 in Sumpter Township. Judge Martin set personal bond of $10,000. The defense attorney needed video discovery and said he will try to get his client in sobriety court. The probable cause conference was adjourned until June 7. He will be fitted with an alcohol tether. His probable cause conference was set for June 21. Probable cause conference then was set for July 12. At that time he waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for a July 26 arraignment on the information. A calendar conference was set for Aug. 7. Final conference was set for Sept. 1 and a jury trial for Oct. 4. The jury trial was canceled when he pled guilty to the charge. Sentencing was set for Nov. 28, adjourned to Jan. 5 and then to Jan. 19 and then Jan. 26. Then it was adjourned to Feb. 7 and then to Feb. 8, when he was sentenced to two years of probation and a fine of $198.
Jarell Deonte-Irell-Fitzjeri Seuell
Jarell Deonte-Irell-Fitzjeri Seuell, 28, of Sumpter Township, is charged with driving while license suspended and two registration/plate violations at 1:23 a.m. on March 26, 2023 in the city of Belleville. He also is charged with no insurance, equipment violation, and disobeying a police officer directing traffic flow, also at 1:23 a.m. on March 26 in the city of Belleville. He was scheduled for a remote arraignment and pretrial on all the charges on May 10, but he failed to appear. He was set for a remote show cause/arraignment/pretrial on June 14, 2023 but he failed to appear so a bench warrant was signed for his arrest.
Brandon William Claydon
Brandon William Claydon, 26, of Belleville, is charged with speeding 16-20 over the limit, a registration/plate violation, and no insurance in the city of Belleville at 2:16 a.m. on April 13, 2023 and also driving while license suspended on May 10, 2020 in the city of Belleville. He was set for a remote arraignment/pretrial and hearing on May 10, 2023 but he failed to appear. His speeding ticket was put in default and $180 is due and a show cause hearing will be set for the other three charges. He was scheduled for a show cause hearing on July 5, 2023 but failed to appear and a bench warrant was signed.