William Duncan Perault, 47, of Van Buren Township was bound over for trial in circuit court on three counts of criminal sexual conduct after a preliminary exam held before 34th District Court Chief Judge Brian A. Oakley on Feb. 23.
The prosecutor dismissed four of the seven charges he originally was arraigned on. He is due at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit on March 9 for his arraignment on the information.
He was arraigned by Magistrate Al Hindman on Dec. 22, on one count of criminal sexual conduct assault with intent/sexual penetration, three counts of CSC/second degree (relationship), and three counts of CSC/fourth degree (victim between 13-16) on Jan. 1, 2021 in Van Buren Township.
He was bound over to the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in Detroit on three counts of CSC/fourth degree (victim between 13-16).
Bond was set at $100,000 cash or surety and he must have no contact with the protected party. His probable cause conference was held Jan. 5, 2022 and his preliminary exam scheduled for Feb. 23 at noon. His appointed defense attorney James Parker asked Judge Oakley to reduce the bond, since he has a job as a mechanic at Gardener’s Choice and is an epileptic with seizures. He said he has lived with his father on Martz Road for seven years and is not a flight risk.
Prosecutor Ragan Lake opposed a reduction in bond, saying Perault is charged with assaulting his girlfriend’s daughter over a period of time.
Judge Oakley said he has been advised by Van Buren police that additional charges were pending with the attorney general’s office. Judge Oakley reduced bond to $100,000/10%. If released Perault must be on a tether and have no contact with the complaining witness. Bond was posted.
At the live preliminary exam on Feb. 23, Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Ragan Lake called one witness, the alleged victim aged 15, who was 14 at the time of the alleged assaults in 2021 in Van Buren Township.
She described the incidents in Perault’s home where she lived briefly with her mother and brother and others. The hangout spot for adults was in his polebarn, she testified, and the incidents occurred inside the house when other people were outside. One incident was interrupted when she told the defendant she had to go back to her online class because the lunch break was over, she testified.
After her mother left her boyfriend, she said she told her what had happened and her mother started to cry and then called Van Buren police.
Ernest Lee Bellinger
Ernest Lee Bellinger, 57, of Van Buren Township was before Judge Green on Aug. 4 on two domestic violence charges on Nov. 12, 2020 and May 30 in Van Buren Township.
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Elisabeth Moore said she had trouble getting ahold of the complainant, who is the defendant’s brother.
Judge Green recognized the situation from other court sessions. She said the parents passed away and they left the home to several of the grandchildren who all own the place. She recalled one case involving a bathtub, a cousin and this defendant, she said.
She said she does not want to delay the defendant going home and would like to change the no-contact order to a no-assaultive-contact order.
Bellinger said his brother changed the locks on the door and threw all his clothes away.
Later the court heard from his brother who said he does not want to change the no-contact order because he’s afraid of Bellinger. He did appear by zoom and said he will be at the trial.
Judge Green set the cases for a live bench trial on Sept. 8 when everything would get settled. After a bench trial before Judge Green on Sept. 8, he was found guilty as charged on the Nov. 12, 2020 and May 30, 2021 charges. Fines and costs were suspended and the case was closed.
Jalal Salim Safah
Jalal Salim Safah, 27, of Southfield was arraigned from the Van Buren Township lock up via zoom by Magistrate Al Hindman on Aug. 4. He is charged with assault or assault and battery and receiving and concealing more than $200 in stolen goods on May 14, 2021 in Van Buren Township. His personal bond of $5,000 was revoked because he previously failed to appear for a court date and a warrant was issued for his arrest. After he was arrested on the warrant, his bond was set at $5,000/10% and he must not return to Meijer’s at 9701 Belleville Rd.
His zoom pre-trial was set for Sept. 1 and then adjourned to Sept. 29 and then to Oct. 27. Judge Martin said the complaining witness must appear on Oct. 27 or the case will be dismissed. But the defendant failed to appear on Oct. 27 so a bench warrant was signed for his arrest.
William Richard Scott
The conviction of William Richard Scott, 59, of Willis for larceny less than $100 in Belleville on Feb. 12, 1982, was expunged from the record by Judge Green on Aug. 4. She said she had all the proper paperwork from defense attorney Robert S. Mullen and she granted his motion for expungement.
“He’s doing all the right things going forward,” Mullen said of his client.
The arrest in 1982 was by Belleville Officer in Charge Gene Taylor. District Court Judge Henry Zaborowski sentenced Scott to pay a $100 fine or 21 days in jail and he paid the fine.
Attorney Mullen also is working to get a 2007 conviction set aside in circuit court and was to be before Circuit Court Judge Miriam Bazzi.
Ellis William Kennard
Ellis William Kennard, 62, of Romulus pled guilty to trespassing at 2:56 a.m., March 11 in Van Buren Township and two charges of larceny under $200 on two other dates in VBT were dismissed.
He told Judge Martin that he did unlawful entry without permission on property owned by Waste Management. She directed him to pay a total of $625 in fines and costs.
John Nicole Smith
John Nicole Smith, 26, of Ann Arbor, had his probable cause conference adjourned from Aug. 11 to Aug. 25 by Judge Bronson because defense attorney Cheryl Quick needed discovery from the prosecutor’s office. Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Erika Moses said she would get it sent to her.
On Aug. 25, Judge Oakley set his preliminary exam for Sept. 13. Quick said the digital discovery is still missing and the prosecutor said it would be sent to her.
Smith is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) and domestic violence on June 28, 2020 in Van Buren Township. He is free on $5,000 personal bond.
On Sept. 13, Smith waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on Sept. 27 which was reset to Oct. 27. A calendar conference was set for Nov. 18. It was adjourned by request of the court until Jan. 19 and then adjourned to Feb. 15 and then to March 30.
Timothy Allen Porter
Timothy Allen Porter, 47, of Woodhaven had his probable cause conference adjourned from Aug. 11 to Aug. 25 because his defense attorney Andrew Sullivan of Neighborhood Defender Service said he needs discovery, especially the dash cam.
Porter is charged with the felony of operating while intoxicated, third offense, on Oct. 14 in Van Buren Township. He is free on $5,000 personal bond.
On Aug. 25, Sullivan told the judge he still doesn’t have all the videos to review. Prosecutor Alex Kurrie said he sent 10 videos to him and he would resend them.
Judge Oakley set the live preliminary exam for Oct. 6 and on that date he failed to appear. On the next day he called the court and said he had been very sick and can provide documentation. A probable cause conference was set for Oct. 20 and the live preliminary exam was Oct. 27. He failed to appear but called an hour after his court date. The probable cause conference was reset for Nov. 3.
Defense attorney Sullivan said his client had fallen asleep and didn’t wake up until all the witnesses were gone for the last exam.
On Nov. 3, Judge Martin reset Porter’s preliminary exam for Dec. 22 and gave Porter a stern warning not to miss the exam. Porter promised to be there. On Dec. 22, the preliminary exam was reset for March 9.