Former Lt. Michael Chatterson faces a potential 15 years in prison
Former Genesee County Lt. Michael Chatterson is charged with felony criminal sexual conduct.
/ Courtesy Genesee County
GENESEE COUNTY -- ***UPDATE (4/26/13 7:30 P.M.)***
A former Genesee County sheriff's lieutenant will be charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The Genesee County prosecutor says Michael Chatterson of Milford performed an alleged sexual assault while at work.
The prosecutor says Chatterson made a move the suspect's attorney calls an "insult to all true rape victims."
***END UPDATE***
Michael Chatterson made a good impression when he joined the Genesee County Sheriff's office in 1999.
By 2004 he was promoted to sergeant. But then the trouble began, say several female deputies.
Nine years ago, a female deputy said Chatterson committed a "deviant sexual act" against her in 2004. Chatterson was suspended for 10 days.
Chatterson's behavior apparently continued, culminating in December 2012 with accusations of sexual harrassment that ended with Chatterson's firing Jan. 4.
In the most recent incident, several female jail employees accused him of distributing photocopies of his genitals and producing a video of himself masturbating that he asked a female employee to watch, Sheriff Robert Pickell said at a press conference Tuesday.
Pickell said he was "mad as hell" and "embarrassed" by Chatterson's actions.
The 14-year veteran of the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, who was a lieutenant at the time of his firing, was charged Tuesday with one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, and three counts of stalking. The criminal sexual conduct charge carries a potential 15-year prison sentence if convicted.
Bond was set to $25,000 and his next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 22.
Chatterson, 43 of Oakland County, was sent home Dec. 27, after a female deputy reported he had sexually harrassed her, although no information was available of which of the various accusations were involved in that incident.
A criminal investigation began the following day and on Jan 4 Chatterson was fired. A warrant for his arrest was issued Jan. 14.
The charges apparently involve female employees at the Genesee County Jail.
The sheriffs office interviewed every female under Chatterson's command. It is believed he harassed five women and sexually assaulted one woman.
He joined the force in 1999 and was promoted to sergeant in 2004. He was accused of a sexually deviant act on a female deputy back in 2004.
The sheriff's office was made aware of that incident in 2006. Chatterson was then suspended for 10 days.
