An Alpena man, Thomas VanDuinen, aged 72, was sentenced on a range of charges including making false accusations against Michigan State Police troopers. The sentence, delivered by Judge Edward Black in the 26th Circuit Court in Alpena County, will see VanDuinen serving a minimum of 40 months before eligibility for parole. These charges stem from a series of allegations he made following a search warrant executed on his property in February 2021.
According to The Detroit News, VanDuinen claimed that troopers had forged signatures on search warrants and had stolen money and hydrocodone pills from his premises. These assertions led to a criminal investigation against the officers involved but were eventually found to be unsubstantiated, leading to VanDuinen's own legal troubles. He now stands to serve up to four years for three counts of reporting a felony, and an additional period of up to seven years for the use of a computer to commit a crime. These will run concurrently with a sentence for providing a false statement to a police officer during a criminal investigation.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel weighed in on the case, emphasizing the seriousness of levying false accusations against law enforcement. "False accusations levied against law enforcement not only undermine the public’s trust but also inflict damage to the lives and careers of those committed to protecting and serving our communities," Nessel stated, as obtained by the Michigan Department of Attorney General's press release. She expressed hope that the conviction would serve as a deterrent to others who might consider to make false claims.
The case against the MSP troopers was closed in January 2022, after an investigation by the MSP Professional Standards Section. VanDuinen, following the search of his property, filed a lawsuit against the state police, demanding the return of his alleged stolen property and also reported his claims to the Professional Standards Section, which sparked the investigation. In the course of his allegations, VanDuinen also had to face the consequences for the use of a computer in making these claims, adding to his imprisonment time.
VanDuinen's attorney was not available for comment, as reported by The Detroit News.
