A 68-year-old registered sex offender from Saginaw is back behind bars after prosecutors say he sexually abused a girl who lived in the same east side house as he did.
Robert D. Wacha was arraigned in Saginaw this week on first and second degree criminal sexual conduct charges and is set to return to court later this month. Authorities say a warrant went out earlier in March, and Wacha was picked up and booked into the Saginaw County Jail shortly afterward.
According to MLive, law enforcement obtained a warrant for Wacha last Thursday and booked him into the Saginaw County Jail last Friday. He was arraigned yesterday before Saginaw County District Judge Terry L. Clark, who set bond at 750,000 dollars cash surety and scheduled a preliminary examination for March 24. Court filings state the charges involve a victim who is 13 or younger.
Long Record And Sex Offender Status
Public offender listings and court records show Wacha has a lengthy criminal history, including a 1993 conviction in Ionia County for first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a victim 13 or younger and a 2012 no-contest plea to third-degree criminal sexual conduct in Barry County. Records indicate he served nearly 20 years in prison on the older conviction and remained on Michigan's sex offender registry after his release. Registry entries list his residence in Sunfield in Eaton County. According to OffenderRadar, his public profile includes those convictions and registration information.
Prosecutors Push For Tough Treatment
Prosecutors have asked Judge Clark to deny bond entirely and have charged Wacha as a habitual offender, a move that can increase possible penalties if he is convicted. MLive reports that court documents say Wacha was paroled in May 2020 and discharged from parole in 2022, and prosecutors allege he went to Sunfield after the alleged abuse. They also point out that victims in his earlier cases were minor relatives. The new first-degree charge, they note, carries a potential maximum of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
What Happens At A Preliminary Exam
In Michigan, a preliminary examination is a limited probable cause hearing in district court where prosecutors must present enough evidence to move a felony case up to circuit court for trial. It often includes witness testimony and cross-examination, but it is not a full trial on guilt or innocence. As outlined by Michigan Courts, if the judge decides there is not enough probable cause, the case can be dismissed at this stage.
For now, Wacha remains in the Saginaw County Jail on the 750,000 dollar cash surety bond while his case moves through the local courts. He is due back in front of a judge on March 24 for the preliminary examination, and if the case is bound over, it will proceed to circuit court for further proceedings.
