Zackary Lynn Middleton, 29, of Sumpter Township was in 34th District Court via zoom from the Wayne County Jail for his probable cause conference on Sept. 21, 2022 for a felony charge of aggravated indecent exposure on Sept. 9, 2022 in Van Buren Township.
His defense attorney Roeiah Epps-Ward said she needed digital discovery, so Judge Tina Brooks Green adjourned the conference until Oct. 5. Bond was set at $5,000/10% and he was not to enter Walmart in Belleville, if released.
On Oct. 5, 2022 his live exam was set for Nov. 16 and his attorney asked for a bond reduction. She said he paves driveways for a living and has children aged three and five to support. It was noted he has issues with drinking. Judge Martin denied the request.
His preliminary exam was reset to Dec. 28, 2022. On Dec. 28 he was present by zoom from the Huron County Jail and his defense attorney Emily Elijah said they wished to waive his exam. Judge Lisa Martin bound him over to circuit court for a Jan. 4 arraignment on the information. A calendar conference was set for Jan. 20, 2023 and then final conference for Feb. 17 and then March 17 and April 19. On May 3, 2023, he pled no contest to the charge. He failed to appear for sentencing and so a circuit court bench warrant is out for his arrest.
On Jan. 4, 2023 he also was before Judge Martin via zoom from the Huron County Jail for other charges of operating while intoxicated with prior conviction causing serious injury, operating while license suspended/revoked/denied-serious injury, operating while intoxicated, and operating with blood alcohol content of more than .17 on Oct. 25, 2021 in Van Buren Township.
His bench warrant arraignment at district court had been Nov. 22, 2022 and his probable cause conference Nov. 30. The probable cause conference was adjourned for discovery until Dec. 14 then adjourned again until Jan. 4, 2023. Personal bond was $5,000.
The case was adjourned to Jan. 18 for discovery. The attorney asked the judge to amend the personal bond to $5,000/10%, which she did. On Jan. 18, the probable cause conference was set for Feb. 8.
At that time he was present via zoom from the Huron County Jail and his live preliminary exam was set for March 22, 2023.
On March 22, 2023 the defendant was present via zoom from the Huron County Jail, but Van Buren Township Officer Daniel Svabik was not present to testify because he was having a medical procedure in Toledo. The prosecutor said he was able to testify by zoom, but the defense attorney made a motion to dismiss which was granted by Judge Martin.
Judge Martin said the medical procedure was not an emergency and the officer knew he was scheduled to testify well in advance.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Rima Yahfoufi said the People will refile before the ink is dry on the dismissal request.
On May 30, 2023 the charges were refiled and a second warrant entered into LEIN for his arrest.
Johnnie Lee Goodman
Johnnie Lee Goodman, 31, of Troy, was before Judge Green on Sept. 21, 2022 for his probable cause conference on a charge of assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer and domestic violence on March 23, 2020 in Van Buren Township. He also is charged with criminal sexual conduct fourth degree (force or coercion) on July 10, 2020, in Van Buren Township. The probable cause conferences were adjourned until Oct. 12, 2022.
On that date there was confusion on a plea agreement on one of the charges, so the case was adjourned until Nov. 9, 2022 by zoom to figure out the plea between defense attorney Kathy Henry and Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Suzy Taweel.
On Nov. 9, Judge Green accepted a plea agreement to reduce the criminal sexual conduct fourth degree to assault and battery, assaulting/resisting/obstructing police to “attempt to…” and dismissed the domestic violence charge. He pled no contest. Judge Green sentenced him to one year of non-reporting probation, but he must do whatever his therapist recommends. He is in a group home and therapist Cheyenne Turner has been working with him for several years. If he doesn’t cooperate with his doctor’s appointments, therapy, vocational program, and taking of medication, Turner is to contact the court.
Angela Marie Gordon
Angela Marie Gordon, 45, of Van Buren Township, held her final pretrial on Sept. 21, 2022 on a charge of assault or assault & battery on Aug. 28, 2022 in Van Buren Township. The charge was dismissed when the victim did not appear.
Ahmed Ali Al-Najaar
Ahmed Ali Al-Najaar, 19, of Erie and previously of Sumpter Township, pled guilty to double parking at his arraignment/pretrial Sept. 21, 2022 on a charge of tobacco-possession/use by minors at 10:09 p.m. Aug. 7, 2022 in the city of Belleville. The deal was offered by Assistant Prosecutor Bryn Bailey and accepted by Judge Green, who levied a $100 fee. This will be combined with his payment plan for his other sentences at 34th District Court.
Niya Marie Baker
Niya Marie Baker, 28, of Romulus was present for her remote arraignment / pretrial on Sept. 21 on charges of violation of a state of emergency proclamation and retail fraud on April 21, 2020 in Van Buren Township. Her defense attorney Daniel Bitar talked to Prosecutor Bailey and got a plea deal, which had Baker plea guilty to retail fraud at Walmart and the other charge was dismissed. The retail fraud charge will be deferred for three months and, if there are no other problems, will be dismissed. A fine of $300 was levied by Judge Green.
Scott Allen Poore
Scott Allen Poore of Leroy, MI, was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) on Sept. 12, 2022 in Sumpter Township. He was present for his probable cause conference on Sept. 28 before Judge Green. Defense attorney Vanessa Hamilton said they needed discovery so the probable cause conference was adjourned until Oct. 5. At that time, his live exam was set for Nov. 16.
On Nov. 16, the charges were dismissed without prejudice when the victim failed to show up at court.
James Shelbynajmatalmassaa Blake
James Shelbynajmatalmassa Blake, 47, of Ypsilanti is charged with malicious destruction of fire or police property and reckless driving on June 1, 2021 in Van Buren Township. He also is charged with using a self-defense spray device / dangerous weapons on June 2, 2021 in Van Buren Township.
At his probable cause hearing on Sept. 28, 2022 his attorney William Glenn said since he got the forensic exam results that said that his client was competent, he would ask for a live preliminary exam.
He failed to appear for a court session and bench warrants were issued on Oct. 19, 2022. On Oct. 24, 2022 he called the court to find out what could be done about his warrants and he was told to contact his attorney.
Brandon Christopher Bovitz
Brandon Christopher Bovitz, 40, of Van Buren Township is charged with domestic violence and assault or assault and battery on Aug. 21, 2022 in Van Buren Township. On Sept. 28, 2022 he was present for his remote pretrial and then the case was adjourned for a final pretrial on Oct. 19.
He was free after posting bond of $1,000/10%. He was not to return to a West Huron River Drive address and must have no contact with the victim.
On Oct. 19 a plea deal was approved by Judge Oakley for Bovitz to plea no contest to domestic violence and the second count was to be dismissed. He was sentenced to one-year probation and have mental health, drug, and alcohol assessments. He told Judge Oakley he has been in Oakdale Recovery Center since Oct. 10 for an 18-21-day program. He said he wants to start doing the right things.
Judge Oakley fined him $500 and said the no-contact order with the victim is in effect.
Sandra Dale Cox
Sandra Dale Cox, 66, of Ypsilanti is charged with two counts of operating while intoxicated-third and one count of failure to stop at a property damage accident on May 3, 2018 in Van Buren Township.
She also has a charge through Western Wayne Narcotics of being in possession of a narcotic or cocaine less than 25 grams on Jan. 18, 2018.
She was present for her arraignment / probable cause conference on Sept. 28, 2022 and was arraigned on both cases. The probable cause conference was adjourned until Nov. 2 and her personal bond set at $10,000. Her attorney David Shand said he would try to get her into sobriety court, so Judge Green gave him extra time to get her appointments for evaluation.
On Nov. 2, attorney Shand asked to have her screened for 34th District Court sobriety court and Judge Green adjourned her probable cause conferences until Nov. 16. On Nov. 16 Cox waived her preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for a Nov. 30 arraignment on the information. Final conference was set for Dec. 16 and continued to Jan. 30 and then to Feb. 27. Then it was continued to March 30. She pled guilty to operating while intoxicated-2nd and the other original three charges were dismissed. She was sentenced on April 28 to a fee of $698 and 2 years of probation with a supervision fee of $720.
Emani Joi Minor
Emani Joi Minor, 25, of Inkster, is charged with domestic violence on Sept. 13, 2022 in Van Buren Township. She was present for her remote pretrial on Sept. 28.
Her defense attorney Royce Nunley asked for a final pretrial where the victim must appear. Judge Green set that for Oct. 19. It was a live pretrial before Judge Oakley.
Personal bond of $5,000 was set at her arraignment and she is to have no contact with the victim or return to an apartment on Oak Ln.
On Oct. 19, the complaining witness failed to appear and the charge was dismissed without prejudice.
Rebecca Ann Chapman
Rebecca Ann Chapman, 30, of Romulus is charged with having no insurance under the insurance code and driving while license suspended on Aug. 21, 2022 in the city of Belleville.
She failed to appear on Sept. 28, 2022 for her arraignment/pretrial, so a remote show cause/arraignment/pretrial was set for Nov. 2 and she failed to appear. A bench warrant was issued.
On Dec. 5 the court asked for the warrant to be recalled and a review of the case was scheduled for Jan. 5, 2023. A remote arraignment/pretrial was set for March 8. She failed to appear so a bench warrant was issued.
On June 14 she posted bond and her arraignment/pretrial was set for July 5. At that time she pled guilty to a reduced charge of allowing unlicensed driver to drive-second and was fined $665.
Kristin Julia Dalsasso
Kristin Julia Dalsasso, 41, of Van Buren Township is charged with reckless driving in the city of Belleville on Feb. 23, 2019. She failed to appear for her Sept. 28, 2022 remote arraignment/pretrial, and she said she didn’t recall getting a ticket. A show-cause hearing was set for Nov. 2 and then adjourned to Nov. 16.
On Nov. 16, the defense attorney said there was no discovery, but it had been sent and he wasn’t told. The arraignment/pretrial was adjourned until Dec. 14 and then adjourned until Jan. 4. On Jan. 4, 2023 the charge was dismissed for insufficient evidence.
David Louis Childs, II
David Louis Childs, II, 29, whose mobile home burned down on Utah Street in Sumpter Township last year, was present for his Oct. 5, 2022 probable cause conference on charges of carrying a concealed weapon and domestic violence on Sept. 23, 2022 in Sumpter Township. His personal bond was $25,000.
A live exam was set for Nov. 16, 2022. Childs told Judge Martin he now lives in Garden City.
Judge Martin noted he also had a bench warrant out for failure to appear on July 11, 2022 for a driving while license suspended charge in Sumpter Township and that also was set for Nov. 16, 2022. His preliminary exam was set on Nov. 29 and his remote pretrial was held Oct. 20, 2022.
On Nov. 29, 2022 his preliminary exam was waived and he was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on Dec. 13. A calendar conference was set for Jan. 12, 2023 and a pretrial for Feb. 2. On Feb. 2, he pled guilty to domestic violence and weapons-firearms and the carrying concealed weapons charge was dismissed. He was assessed $1,081 in fees (or community service in lieu of fees) and one year of probation.