Thursday, March 6, 2008

03062008 - Deputy Van Wert - Sentenced - Bay County SD

Also See:

Deputy Dale Van Wert charged with CSC

     












































Ex-deputy a sex offender
Friday, March 07, 2008
THE SAGINAW NEWS
http://www.mlive.com/news/saginawnews/index.ssf?/base/news25/1204903226111560.xml&coll=9

A former Bay County sheriff's deputy has received his punishment in a Saginaw court on charges he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in his care.

Dale P. Van Wert learned Thursday he will spend the next three years on probation.

Van Wert, 49, pleaded no contest to one count of attempted sexual assault.

Investigators said he sexually assaulted the teen at his Garfield Township home between Dec. 6, 2006, and Jan. 7, 2007.

Van Wert and his wife operated a foster care home for children from their home near Linwood.

As part of the probation, Saginaw County Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson ordered Van Wert to register as a sex offender, to undergo sexual abuse treatment, to not appear within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, arcades, playgrounds or anywhere else children gather, and not have contact with anyone younger than 17 unless an adult is present to supervise the visit.

Jackson handled the case because Bay County judges recused themselves. The crimes occurred in Bay County.

Jackson also ordered Van Wert to pay $840 in fees and fines and work a job at least 30 hours a week. He gave the former law man credit for the 413 days he already served in jail.

Van Wert's attorney, Matthew L. Reyes of Bay City, said his client was going to live with a brother in Bay County.

Van Wert didn't speak during the sentencing hearing.

''I'd like to know why you did this,'' the mother of the victim asked Van Wert in court. ''I need to know the reason. I don't understand why you threw your life away.''

Bay County Sheriff John Miller fired Van Wert in September 2006 amid allegations he used the Law Enforcement Information Network for his personal process-serving business and he did so while on duty for the sheriff's department.











Former sheriff's deputy gets three years probation
Friday, March 07, 2008
Bay City Times
http://www.mlive.com/news/bctimes/index.ssf?/base/news11/1204906518131170.xml&coll=4

A former Bay County sheriff's deputy has received his punishment in a Saginaw court on charges he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl in his care.

Dale P. Van Wert learned Thursday he will spend the next three years on probation.

Van Wert, 49, pleaded no contest to one count of attempted sexual assault.

Investigators said he sexually assaulted the teen at his Garfield Township home between Dec. 6, 2006, and Jan. 7, 2007.

Van Wert and his wife operated a foster care home for children from their home near Linwood.

As part of the probation, Saginaw County Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson ordered Van Wert to register as a sex offender, to undergo sexual abuse treatment, to not appear within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, arcades, playgrounds or anywhere else children gather, and not have contact with anyone younger than 17 unless an adult is present to supervise the visit.

Jackson handled the case because Bay County judges recused themselves. The crimes occurred in Bay County.

Jackson also ordered Van Wert to pay $840 in fees and fines and work a job at least 30 hours a week. He gave the former law man credit for the 413 days he already served in jail.

Van Wert's attorney, Matthew L. Reyes of Bay City, said his client was going to live with a brother in Bay County.

Van Wert didn't speak during the sentencing hearing.

''I'd like to know why you did this,'' the mother of the victim asked Van Wert in court. ''I need to know the reason. I don't understand why you threw your life away.''

The woman said Van Wert's actions left her angry and confused.

Although she said she's having a difficult time coping with the ordeal and she's certain he committed the crime, the woman said she has forgiven Van Wert.

Bay County Sheriff John Miller fired Van Wert in September 2006 amid allegations he used the Law Enforcement Information Network for his personal process-serving business while on duty for the sheriff's department.














Ex-Deputy Learns Fate In Child Sex Assault
After Serving 14 Months, Van Wert Could Get Probation
WNEN- Channel 5 News
POSTED: 11:23 am EST March 6, 2008
UPDATED: 11:31 am EST March 6, 2008
http://www.wnem.com/news/15512728/detail.html

SAGINAW, Mich. -- A former Bay County sheriff’s deputy will be sentenced Thursday for a sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl.

Dale Van Wert’s first trial ended in a hung jury in December. He entered a no-contest plea last month.

Van Wert will register as a sex offender, and since he has been in custody for 14 months he could be released Thursday and placed on immediate probation.

The sentencing is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. in Saginaw County court







Van Wert pleads no contest in assault case
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
By CRYSTAL McMORRIS
The Bay City Times

A former Bay County Sheriff's deputy has pleaded no contest to a charge of attempted sexual assault and guilty to three counts of unauthorized use of the Law Enforcement Information Network.

Dale P. Van Wert entered the pleas Monday afternoon in Saginaw County Circuit Court, where Judge Darnell Jackson is handling the case due to recusal of Bay County judges. The crimes to which Van Wert pleaded occurred in Bay County. He faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced March 6, but guidelines indicate a shorter sentence is likely.

Van Wert, who as a deputy was assigned to Bay County Court security, was accused of obtaining information through Central Dispatch for use in his own process-serving business while on duty in 2006

He also had been charged with several sex crimes alleging sexual assault of a 13-year-old at his Linwood-area home in 2006 and 2007. The more serious sex charges were dismissed as part of a plea bargain.

''You can lock a man up for 13 months with no bond, and eventually he's going to make decisions that are going to get him out of jail,'' said Matthew Reyes, Van Wert's defense attorney.

A jury in December was unable to reach a verdict after hearing several days of testimony about the alleged sexual assaults.

Bay County Prosecutor Kurt Asbury said he consulted with the victim and her mother and determined that it was ''in the best interest of the victim and the public to resolve this matter without another trial.''

Asbury said sentencing guidelines indicate that Van Wert may be released with time served, which will amount to about 14 months. Van Wert also will be required to register as a sex offender and will be placed on probation.

''Given all the circumstances of the case, and the fact that we tried to convict him previously, we're satisfied that he's been convicted of a very serious felony and will be a registered sex offender for life,'' Asbury said.

Reyes said Van Wert agreed to the plea bargain as a way of ''putting an end to the saga.''


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