Court Watching: Zumbro bound over to face charges on sex with teenager

Robert Charles Zumbro, 34, of Sumpter Township has been bound over to the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice to face three counts of criminal sexual conduct with a 14-year-old female acquaintance that allegedly began in April.
On July 1, 34th District Court Judge David Parrott bound Zumbro over to the higher court after Zumbro waived his right to a preliminary exam.
Zumbro was scheduled to face a judge on July 8 for an arraignment on the information. Zumbro is being held in the Wayne County Jail on bond of $250,000 or 10%. His court-appointed attorney David Langston asked the judge to have Pretrial Services consider a reduction of bond and Judge Parrott agreed, but said, for now, the present bond is continued.
Zumbro was arrested on June 11 following an investigation by Sumpter Township Corporal John Ashby and Det./Cpl. John Toth. The case was then submitted to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office who approved the charges.
The investigation started on June 2 after a complaint to the department by the juvenile’s mother upon her learning of the sexual encounters between Zumbro and her daughter.
Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 15 years.
A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if the person engages in sexual penetration with another person and if that other person is at least 13 years of age and under 16 years of age.
Terrance Antwan Carlton
Christopher Michael Miller
Charges against Terrance Antwan Carlton, 27, and Christopher Michael Miller, 30, were dismissed without prejudice by Judge Parrott when the witnesses against the alleged co-conspirators failed to show up to testify against them in a preliminary exam.
The incident was a Craigslist crime involving a puppy and felonious assault with a motor vehicle.
Both defendants were charged with armed robbery, larceny from a person, and assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault) in an incident on Feb. 1, 2014 in Van Buren Township. Carlton also was charged with assault.
Carlton had retained attorney Joseph Wagner and had posted the $10,000/10% bond.
Miller’s retained attorney was Michael Vincent. Miller’s bond was $5,000 or 10%, which he posted.
Vincent said this is the second time the preliminary exam was scheduled and witnesses did not show up, referring to a June 10 court date. On that date, a female attorney said she was Carlton’s new attorney said she needed time to come up to speed on the case, so Judge Parrott adjourned the case until July 1.
Miller’s case had been adjourned in the past waiting for co-defendant Carlton’s case to catch up.
Vincent said a VBT detective made 30 phone calls the morning of July 1, but still there are no witnesses to testify.
Judge Parrott said the prosecution cannot continue without witnesses, but he said the charges could be refiled.
Det. Mark Buxton was the officer in charge.
Brandon Scott Freeman
Brandon Scott Freeman, 27, was due to have a probable cause hearing on charges of controlled substance/delivery of marijuana, but waived his upcoming preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court. Judge Parrott signed a discovery order for the defense attorney.
He is due for his arraignment on the information on July 15. He had a $2,000 personal recognizance bond and his retained attorney was Mosabi Hamed.
Officer in charge was Van Buren Township Officer Matt Raschke.
Brian Thomas Gray
Brian Thomas Gray, 34, was charged with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree for a victim under the age of 13. His probable cause hearing was set for July 1 and his preliminary exam for July 15.
Gray was lodged at the Wayne County Jail on bond of $10,000 or 10%.
The crime happened May 13 in Van Buren Township. Det. Donovan McCarthy was the officer in charge.
Christopher Allen Griggs
Christopher Allen Griggs, 26, waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on July 8 at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice.
Griggs is charged with operating while intoxicated with an occupant younger than 16 years, assault on a police officer, and driving while license suspended-2nd time in the city of Belleville on June 12.
He is being lodged in the Wayne County Jail on bond of $20,000 or 10%.
Belleville Cpl. Todd Schrecengost and Officer Matt Vandeweghe were the officers in charge.
Griggs’ court-appointed attorney Christopher Kessell said there is a hold out of Washtenaw County for his client for a probation violation and if they come for him he can clear that up there.
Attorney Kessell said Griggs is married and has three children. The wife works odd jobs for her father’s business and Griggs is on Social Security disability, he said.
Kessell said his client already had spent 21 days in jail and there is a minimum sentence of 30 days for his offenses.
Judge Parrott said the nature of the offenses are very serious and Griggs is a repeat offender. He said operating while intoxicated and accosting a police officer are serious charges.
Judge Parrott agreed to send Griggs to Pre-Trial Services to reconsider bond.
Kessell said his client was in a vehicle because he was assaulted. He was afraid of being re-assaulted so he drove off.
As Griggs was being escorted back to the court lockup, his mother stepped forward and Griggs said, “I love you.” Then his little girl in the front row called out, “Bye, Daddy,” and the courtroom let out a sigh of, “Ahhhh.”
Christopher Simons
Judge Parrott announced that charges of domestic violence were dismissed without prejudice by the prosecutor as Christopher Allen Simons, 25, stepped forward for his preliminary exam.
He was being lodged in the Wayne County Jail on bond of $20,000 or 10% and he was set free.
Det. Ken Toney of Van Buren Township was the officer in charge.
Ernest Leon Trammell
Ernest Leon Trammell, 26, was due for his preliminary exam on charges of possession of fire arm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a felon, assault with a dangerous weapon (felony firearm), felony firearm, and domestic violence.
These crimes were alleged to have happened on May 7 in Sumpter Township.
The prosecutor dismissed charges three and five (domestic violence and felonious assault) and they continued with the rest of the charges.
Trammell waived his preliminary exam and was bound over to circuit court for an arraignment on the information on July 15.
His retained attorney is Vincent Haisha and he was out on posted bond of $3,000 or 10%.
Officer in charge was Sumpter Officer Jerry Cox.