A late February party outside Portland has turned into a major criminal case after authorities charged an 18-year-old Portland Township man with first-degree criminal sexual conduct in the alleged assault of a 12-year-old girl. Prosecutors identified the suspect as Blake Kozan, who was arraigned Monday after the Ionia County prosecutor authorized the charge. Deputies say they interviewed dozens of people as part of the investigation, and the victim was taken to a child advocacy center for a forensic interview as the case moves forward.
According to FOX 17, Kozan faces one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct tied to what deputies describe as an attack at that late February gathering. The station reports the girl’s parents filed a complaint with the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office, which then launched an investigation that included interviews with “dozens of people who attended the party or had information” about what happened.
Information posted on the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office contact page lists the records line as (616) 527-5737 and names Detective Chelsea Kasul and Det./Sgt. Phillip Hesche in the detective bureau. The page also shows the sheriff’s office address as 133 Adams Street in Ionia, along with direct phone numbers for detectives for anyone who wants to follow up with investigators.
What the charge carries
In Michigan, first-degree criminal sexual conduct is the most serious CSC charge on the books and can carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. When the person accused is 17 or older, and the alleged victim is under 13, the statute calls for a mandatory minimum prison term of 25 years. The penalties and legal language for CSC-I are laid out in MCL 750.520b on the Michigan Legislature website.
Where the case goes next
Kozan was arraigned on Monday, and the case will now work its way through the local court system. There was no immediate public information on bond conditions or a scheduled trial date. He remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court, and investigators say they will continue following up on leads generated by witness interviews…