John Hendrickson, a 59-year-old man from Bellaire, was sentenced to a prison term of 17 to 40 years for first-degree criminal sexual conduct committed against a minor relative. According to details shared in a statement from Attorney General Dana Nessel, Hendrickson, accused of repeated sexual assault in his Leroy Township home, entered a no contest plea in August to avoid a trial and further distress for the victim. "Sexual assault is a heinous crime that leaves lasting scars,” said Nessel. Upon completing his sentence, lifetime electronic monitoring and sex offender registration will await him, as the Michigan Attorney General's Office announced.
Hendrickson faced charges in January for eight counts of first-degree CSC, later pleading no contest to four of these charges as part of a plea agreement disclosed by the Attorney General. "I’m grateful we were able to secure justice for the victim in this case without prolonging their suffering with a trial," Nessel said in the plea agreement, referencing the suffering already endured over the years. With his plea, additional charges in Allegan County, along with another in Calhoun, were dismissed. Following the victim's brave decision to come forward after years of abuse, Nessel reassured all victims of sexual assault of her department's unwavering support.
37th Circuit Court Judge John A. Hallacy sentenced Hendrickson on November 4, as earlier reported by the Michigan Department of Attorney General. Nessel, in her statement, told the public of the profound impact of sexual crimes and the justice system's role in addressing these wounds. Hendrickson’s sentence is a testament to their concerted efforts to hold perpetrators to account, irrespective of the time elapsed since the offense.
