Man in U.S. illegally charged with sexual assault, fights extradition to Michigan

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, MI -- A man in the U.S. illegally, who has been charged with the sexual assault of two young girls, is fighting extradition from Indiana to Michigan, according to St. Joseph County Undersheriff Jason Bingaman.

The man was identified as a suspect in the sexual assaults before he was arrested in Indiana during an extensive manhunt and charged in St. Joseph County, Michigan, police said.

He is now battling extradition to Michigan, where he’d face the charges -- one count of home invasion first degree and two counts of criminal sexual conduct first degree (person under the age of 13), per Bingaman and county court records.

The process is not moving as quickly as other arrests because of the man’s trip across state lines.

“He is fighting extradition,” Bingaman said, which is not uncommon when someone flees out of state and decides not to come back willingly. It will take more time if the man decides not to come willingly during extradition proceedings, the undersheriff said.

There is a hearing related to the extradition process in Indiana on Thursday, April 18, the undersheriff said.

The sheriff’s office confirmed the man was in the U.S. illegally, Bingaman told MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette. The man is a citizen of Mexico, Bingaman said.

The man was allowed into the U.S. in August 2021 on an H-2A temporary agriculture visa, Bingaman said. The man’s visa expired in December 2021.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesperson said the agency would confirm details about the man’s immigration status after the man is arraigned on the charges. MLive is not naming the man at this time because he has not been arraigned.

ICE put an “immigration detainer” on the man, which the agency does when there’s probable cause the person is in the country illegally, according to the agency.

On March 20, deputies were called to the Sweet Lake Mobile Home Park in Sturgis on a report of a home invasion after midnight. Detectives found two girls under the age of 13 were sexually assaulted.

Sheriff Mark Lillywhite is not available for comment on this issue, Bingaman said. The undersheriff has been carrying out most of the day-to-day duties of the office instead of Lillywhite, following Sheriff Lillywhite’s drunk driving crash last year.

Tragedy turns to political fight

Sen. Jonathan Lindsey, R-Allen, said he is pushing his colleagues in the Legislature to do everything possible to shield the state from incidents like this one.

Lindsey criticized Democratic policies in a statement to the press about the incident.

“President Joe Biden’s border crisis is putting people from every corner of this country at risk,” Lindsey said. “These repeated tragedies could have all been prevented, and as the president continues to turn a blind eye to crime associated with illegal immigrants coming across our southern border.”

Michiganders are paying the price for “turmoil” at the southern border, he said, also criticizing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on the issue.

“President Biden is completely absent, and Gov. Whitmer refuses to acknowledge the severity of this issue,” Lindsey said, criticizing the governor for her handling and attention on other issues instead, such as abortion and promotion of her new book, “True Gretch.”

Whitmer’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

“It’s an unconceivable dereliction of duty and Michigan residents are paying the price,” Lindsey said.

What’s next?

Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in the manhunt, including ICE, the agency responsible for arresting and detaining people who face removal proceedings to be deported from the United States.

If the man is convicted on the criminal charges in Michigan, a sentence, such as prison time, would be served before any possible deportation, the undersheriff said.

“Before he would be deported, he would have to answer to the charges here,” Bingaman said.

The sheriff’s office is going to look into any other similar cases to see if any can be tied to this suspect, Bingaman said.

Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark the local Kalamazoo news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Kalamazoo daily newsletter.